The father of a trainee doctor tragically raped and murdered at a Kolkata hospital has expressed gratitude towards global supporters and is calling for strict punishment for the offender.
“To everyone supporting me, you are like my children, and I stand united with you,” he stated.
In response to the horrific incident, hundreds of medical professionals rallied in New Delhi, demanding enhanced safety measures for healthcare workers.
“I hope the person responsible for my daughter’s horrific fate receives the harshest punishment,” the father stated.
Manish Swarup/AP
The woman’s aunt shared that she was on track to earn a gold medal in her medical studies, a dream now tragically unfulfilled.
Additionally, the family was preparing for her upcoming wedding in November.
A family member recounted her last conversation, where she assured her parents she was well and reminded them to eat and take their medications.
The incident has sparked a wave of protests across India for over a week, with demonstrators advocating for justice.
Many protesters have held signs reading “Justice Delayed Is Justice Denied” and attempted to provide free medical services outside the health ministry.
The brutal attack on August 9 has ignited outrage, prompting the medical community to organize protests, vigils, and temporary work stoppages in non-emergency departments.
This tragedy has underscored the risks faced by medical professionals in India and the broader issue of violence against women.
Protesters are demanding urgent reforms, including making attacks on on-duty healthcare workers non-bailable offenses, enhancing hospital security, and establishing safe resting areas for staff.
While the Indian government has urged healthcare workers to return to their posts and promised to set up a committee to address their concerns, a police volunteer from the hospital has been arrested. However, the victim’s family contends there were multiple attackers involved.
In Kolkata, thousands have taken to the streets, with women at the forefront of the calls for justice.
This incident starkly highlights the ongoing threat of violence against women in India, despite the implementation of stricter laws following the 2012 gang rape of a student in Delhi.
Sexual violence continues to plague the nation, with a reported 31,516 rape cases registered in 2022—a 20% rise from the previous year, according to the National Crime Records Bureau.