Srinagar: In a collective act of protest, doctors from Government Medical Colleges in Srinagar and Jammu, alongside their associated hospitals, have suspended medical services to stand in solidarity with the rape and murder of a postgraduate trainee doctor in Kolkata on August 9.

According to Kashmir Media Service, this suspension aligns with a nationwide strike called by the Indian Medical Association (IMA), which advocates for the cessation of all non-essential hospital services across India on Saturday. The IMA’s action is a response to the brutal crime committed in Kolkata, seeking to draw attention to the need for improved safety for healthcare professionals and women.

The demonstration in Srinagar at the Government Medical College saw a large turnout of both faculty and students, expressing their shock and demanding justice through slogans like “Justice for Our Sister” and “End Violence Against Women.” The protestors emphasized the need for better security measures within their facilities, reflecting broader concerns about the safety of medical personnel.

In Jammu, similar sentiments were echoed as resident doctors marched from the GMC to the Super Speciality Hospital, advocating for justice and stringent security protocols. The protestors’ signs bore messages of solidarity and calls for severe punishment for perpetrators of such crimes. The suspension of services included outpatient departments, surgeries, and ward activities, especially highlighting concerns over inadequate security during night shifts.

The movement also spread to GMC Rajouri, where students held a candlelight march, reinforcing the call for better protection for medical professionals and swift justice for the Kolkata victim. This wave of protests and demonstrations across IIOJK underscores a significant outcry for action against violence towards women and healthcare workers, alongside a demand for immediate reform in security measures at medical institutions.