Kolkata Rape Murder Case: Supreme Court Sets Up National Task Force For Doctors' Safety

While hearing a suo motu case regarding the rape and murder of a postgraduate medical student at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, the Supreme Court said that it was deeply concerned about the absence of conditions of safety for doctors and medical professionals. The apex court also constituted a National Task Force (NTF) to look into the safety of healthcare staff in hospitals.

"There must be a national protocol to create safe conditions of work. If women cannot go to a place of work and feel safe, we are denying them equal opportunity," Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud orally said, as quoted by LiveLaw. The Supreme Court Bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud with Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra noted that several states, including Kerala and Telangana, have framed state laws to deal with violence against doctors.

The Supreme Court also said that "nation cannot wait for another rape for things to change on the ground." The ten-member National Task Force, constituted by the top court, will be led by Surgeon Vice Admiral R.K. Sarin. The NTF was also asked to furnish an interim report in three weeks and a final report within two months, reported LiveLaw.

The top court also questioned the West Bengal government and the police over the handling of the case. Notably, the court questioned about the timing of the FIR. "FIR is registered at 11.45 at night? Nobody at the hospital registers the FIR? What were the authorities at the hospital doing?" CJI DY Chandrachud asked. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court asked CBI to file a status report on the progress of the investigation and appealed to the doctors, who are protesting all over the country against the crime, to return to their duties.