KOLKATA: Amidst nationwide protests over the rape and death of a female postgraduate trainee doctor from Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College on Friday, August 9, the Calcutta High Court on Tuesday ordered the transfer of the probe into the alleged rape and death of the woman doctor to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

Under intense political pressure from opposition parties, especially the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee set a deadline for the Kolkata police to solve the case by the end of the week, otherwise, she would transfer it to the CBI.

Demanding justice for the junior doctor, all doctors and interns across the state continued their cease work on Tuesday, protesting against the incident and demanding adequate protection for hospital staff, leading to the shutdown of emergency services and paralyzing healthcare services. The doctors' protests intensified after the principal of R G Kar Medical College and Hospital was deputed to another institution in the city following his resignation earlier in the day.

The HC also directed the Kolkata Police to hand over the case diary to the central probe agency by this evening and all other documents by tomorrow (Wednesday) at 10 am, so that the central agency can immediately begin their investigation. Along with the order, the court urged agitating doctors in the state to call off their strike and resume their duties, saying they have a pious obligation towards society.

Chief Justice T. S. Sivagnanam of the HC also reprimanded the state government, questioning why a murder case was not registered at the outset, and instead, an unnatural death case was initiated into the alleged rape and killing.

Healthcare services have been disrupted in the national capital amid doctors' protests at AIIMS Delhi — the largest Out-Patient Department (OPD) in the country — which caters to 10,000 patients a day, saw a 20 per cent reduction in registrations. Protests also affected other major hospitals in Delhi and Pune, King George’s Medical University in Lucknow, and the Sawai Man Singh Medical College in Jaipur. In Uttarakhand, doctors are continuing their work due to recent natural disasters in the state. However, they are wearing black armbands in solidarity.

The Federation of Resident Doctors' Association (FORDA) had yesterday announced a nationwide pause in elective services in hospitals, and as a mark of solidarity with the Kolkata incident, doctors across the country joined in mass protests, disrupting healthcare services in New Delhi's AIIMS, Pune's King George’s Medical University in Lucknow, and Jaipur's Sawai Man Singh Medical College. In Mumbai, the Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD) also announced the suspension of non-emergency medical services by resident doctors from 8 AM today.