The
Supreme Court, on Tuesday, ordered the establishment of a national task force
to ensure the safety and security of doctors across the country in response to
nationwide protests following the rape and murder of a medical professional in
Kolkata.
The
directive came after a bench led by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud took suo motu
cognisance of the heinous crime involving a postgraduate medical student from
RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. The court expressed grave concern, stating
that the inability to provide safe working conditions for women deprives them
of equality in the workplace.
“We
are establishing a national task force consisting of doctors from across India
to develop strategies ensuring the safety and security of doctors within
hospitals,” said CJI Chandrachud.
“We
appeal to all doctors to trust us. We are here to protect you,” he said.
The
Supreme Court further noted several critical issues faced by doctors,
particularly those working late-night shifts. These include the lack of
adequate rest areas, poor hygiene conditions, challenges in managing unruly
individuals, insufficient transport facilities post-shift, and malfunctioning
security systems such as closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras.
Additionally, the court raised concerns about inadequate security screenings
and the unrestricted access granted to patient families within hospital
premises.
The task force, which
aims to address these widespread concerns and restore confidence among medical
professionals, will include the following members:
·
Surgeon Vice-Admiral R Sarin
·
Dr D Nageshwar Reddy
·
Dr M Shreenivas
·
Dr Pratima Murty
·
Dr Goverdhan Dutt Puri
·
Dr Saumitra Rawat
·
Prof Anita Saxena
·
Prof Pallavi Sapre
·
Dr Padma Srivastava
The
suo motu case, titled “In Re: Alleged rape and murder incident of a trainee
doctor in RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata and related issue,”
holds considerable significance as the Calcutta High Court has already
intervened, transferring the investigation to the Central Bureau of
Investigation (CBI).
The
incident has sparked a nationwide outcry, with doctors entering the second week
of a strike, causing significant disruptions for patients. The striking doctors
are demanding swift justice, with the CBI apprehending the perpetrators and
ensuring the harshest penalties. They also seek assurance from the government
to prevent the recurrence of such tragedies.
The
Supreme Court bench, also comprising Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra,
noted the severity of the incident, which has galvanised protests across the
nation. The young doctor’s body, bearing severe injury marks, was discovered on
August 9 in a seminar hall within the state-run hospital’s chest department.
A civic volunteer was arrested by the Kolkata Police on the day
following the incident. Subsequently, on August 13, the Calcutta High Court
transferred the investigation to the CBI, which commenced its probe on August
14. The high court’s decision to involve the CBI followed petitions demanding a
thorough and impartial investigation.