NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court has taken suo motu cognisance of horrific rape and murder of a post graduate trainee doctor and attack and vandalisation of R G Kar Medical College and Hospital at Kolkata, amid nationwide outrage and protest by medical fraternity across the country.
According to the Supreme Court causelist, a case titled as "In Re: Alleged Rape and Murder of Trainee Doctor in RG Kar Medical College Hospital, Kolkata and Related Issues" has been registered and scheduled for hearing before a bench of Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud, and Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra on Tuesday.
Several letter petitions were filed in the Supreme Court, requesting the Chief Justice of India to take suo motu cognisance of the incident related to rape and murder of the PG trainee doctor on August 9 and attack on the hospital premises to scare the medical community on August 14.
The Calcutta High Court has already entrusted the probe into the alleged rape and murder of a 31-year-old junior doctor at R G Kar Medical College in Kolkata to the CBI. which began its investigation.
Also Read: Letter petition filed in SC seeking suo motu cognisance of rape & murder of PG doctor in Kolkata
On August 16, the High Court asked the Kolkata Police to place on record the entire sequence of events that led to "the unfortunate event" of vandalism of the R G Kar Medical College and Hospital campus on the night of August 14.
A letter petition filed by Dr Monica Singh in the Supreme Court contended that the recent incidents revealed a critical gap in ensuring the safety of women, particularly in sectors with a high representation of female employees, such as the medical field.
Women constituted a significant portion of the workforce in healthcare as doctors, nurses, receptionists, and other roles. They often work long hours and face unique challenges that require special attention to ensure their safety, it stated.
Her plea sought a direction for the deployment of Central Forces to protect R G Kar Medical College and its staff until the pendency of the case.
The August 9 incident, in which the 31-year-old postgraduate medical student of R G Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata was raped and murdered while she was sleeping on the floor of a seminar room as a part of a 36-hour work shift, has left the entire nation as shocked and outraged.
On August 14, a large mob stormed the medical college campus, vandalising the emergency ward, nursing station, medicine store, and sections of the outpatient department, further raising question over security for the staff.
The Indian Medical Association also held a 24-hour nationwide strike in protest against the incident.
