A national taskforce of doctors has been set up by India’s top court to look at how medical professionals can be protected following the rape and murder of a trainee female doctor in Kolkata.

The Supreme Court has asked the panel to come up with guidelines for ensuring the safety of medical professionals and healthcare workers across the country.

The rape and murder of the 31-year-old earlier this month at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in the city triggered protests and vigils all over India.

Angry doctors have even stopped performing non-emergency care during the unrest.

The doctors say that this case demonstrates the vulnerability within their profession.

Chief Justice Dhananjaya Yeshwant Chandrachud said: “Protecting safety of doctors and women doctors is a matter of national interest and principle of equality. The nation cannot wait for another rape for it to take some steps.”

But many junior doctors said they were not satisfied and would keep on demonstrating.

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“Legislation alone will not solve these problems; we need a comprehensive overhaul of the system,” the national body of
trainee and junior doctors said in a statement.

A police volunteer has been arrested and charged with murder and rape over the killing.

The family of the victim claim that more people were involved, and the doctor was actually subjected to a gang-rape.

The issue of violence against women and girls has been ongoing in India since the gang rape of a 23-year-old student on a bus in Delhi in 2012.

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The attack prompted ministers to introduce tougher penalties and fast-track courts, along with the death penalty for those who repeatedly committed sexual violence against women.

Regardless of the swifter and harsher penalties, sexual violence against women is an ongoing national concern in India.

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In 2022, police recorded 31,516 reports of rape, which was a 20% increase from 2021, the National Crime Records Bureau said.

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