Calcutta rape and murder case: Doctors stage nationwide mass protests in India; over a dozen arrested for vandalism

The Director General of India's Health Ministry has asked all heads of government hospitals to report any incident of violence to the police within six hours.

“In case of violence against a healthcare worker during duty, the head of the establishment shall be responsible for filing an institutional FIR. [first information report] within a maximum of six hours of the incident,” the memorandum states.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which is in opposition in the state of West Bengal, has called on the Prime Minister to resign following the rape and murder of a junior doctor in a government hospital in Calcutta.

The BJP accused Ms Banerjee of failing to maintain law and order after a mob of dozens of men ransacked the hospital where the woman was found dead.

The party's women's wing will hold a candlelight rally today, ending in front of Ms Banerjee's house.

Bollywood stars have joined the public outrage over the rape and murder of a junior doctor in Kolkata during her 36-hour shift at a government hospital.

Hindi film stars like Kareena Kapoor Khan, Preity Zinta, Richa Chadha, Alia Bhatt, Swara Bhasker and Tisca Chopra demanded speedy justice for the victim.

“Another brutal rape. Another day we realise that women are not safe anywhere,” Ms Bhatt wrote on Instagram.

Ms Bhasker said the crime was a “painful reminder that India is not a country for women”, adding that “the accused must be brought to justice and justice must be done swiftly”.

The doctors' strike has left thousands of low-income patients in distress in state hospitals.

Shyamal Guha, 78, was one of those patients at RG Kar Hospital who was readmitted earlier this week after a stay of over two hours in the hospital ambulance.

“My father had a heart attack yesterday. Due to further complications, the hospital has asked us to shift him here. They are now refusing to take him to the emergency room. If this continues, he will die,” said Pradip, Mr Guha's son.

While several ambulances reached the hospital premises, patients in the vehicle had to wait for hours and eventually turn back to go to another hospital. “It is 4:30 pm and RG Kar is the third hospital that has refused me treatment,” said a woman in despair.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee urged authorities to impose the death penalty for the rape and murder of a 31-year-old junior doctor at a Kolkata hospital last week.

Ms Banerjee, India's only woman Prime Minister, will lead a political rally in Kolkata today demanding speedy justice for the victim.

One of the suspects in the case has been arrested: Sanjay Roy, a volunteer associated with the Kolkata Police.

The case has now been taken over by the federal Central Bureau of Investigation, amid calls for an impartial and transparent investigation into the crime.

“The death penalty is for those who are actually responsible for the crime, but innocent people should not be punished,” Ms Banrejee said in her appeal to the protesting doctors at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.

The RG Kar Medical College's Resident Doctors Association suspended emergency services last week.

The Indian Medical Association, the country's largest medical association, said it would impose a nationwide shutdown of most departments except essential services for 24 hours from Saturday morning, the biggest strike of its kind in at least a decade.

“Doctors, especially women, are vulnerable to violence due to the nature of their profession. It is the responsibility of the authorities to ensure the safety of doctors in hospitals and on campus,” the IMA said in a statement released last Tuesday.

In India, massive protests have broken out following the rape and murder of a junior doctor during her 36-hour shift at a government hospital in the eastern Indian city of Calcutta.

Kolkata police have arrested 19 men for breaking the barricades outside RG Kar Medical College and Hospital and rioting in the emergency room.

Wednesday's peaceful, women-led protests were marred later that night by a mob of men who broke through the police cordon, vandalized the protest site and ransacked the emergency room.

“We were preparing for a rally when dozens of men burst in out of nowhere and started attacking everyone they saw,” said a resident who wished to remain anonymous. The Independent.

“We ran to the hospital to save ourselves. They wanted blood.”

Kolkata police used tear gas to disperse the protesters and arrested several men from the crowd, but have not yet commented on the motive for the attack.

“The mob tore down wires with their bare hands to cut off the electricity. They had rods and swords and charged at the police,” a Kolkata police official told The Print.

“There were patients who were receiving treatment and the emergency services rescued them as a priority.”

A video shared on social media shows the mob tearing down a police cordon at the entrance to the government hospital and one person can be heard repeatedly pleading with them: “Don't do this.”

Tens of thousands of women took to the streets across India on Wednesday evening to protest the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at a major government hospital in West Bengal.

The largest protests took place in Kolkata itself, where women armed with placards, candles and the Indian national flag rang in the country's 78th Independence Day at midnight by demanding justice for the killing of the 31-year-old junior doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.

Women at the “Reclaim the Night” protest told The Independent They wanted swift justice for the victims – some are calling for the death penalty for the perpetrator(s) – but also a more comprehensive investigation into violence against women and the safety of doctors in the country.