Thousands of Indian doctors refused to end protests on Monday, demanding safer working conditions and justice in the case of a medic who was raped and killed while on duty earlier this month.
Health care professionals across the country halted care for non-emergency patients and held candlelight marches and protests following the Aug. 9 rape and murder of a 31-year-old medic and trainee. Authorities say the incident happened while she was working at a state-run hospital in the eastern city of Kolkata.
A police volunteer who was working at the hospital has been taken into custody and charged with the crime. The victim's family alleges more individuals were involved in the incident.
Female activists who have taken to the streets to protest say the incident brings to light the sexual violence women in India face despite stricter laws established in 2012 after the gang rape and murder of a 23-year-old student on a moving bus.
Protesters are demanding stricter laws surrounding attacks on on-duty medics, including making any attack a crime without the possibility of bail and increasing security at hospitals.
The government is asking doctors to return to work and has said that it will set up a committee to evaluate the demands.
According to the Associated Press, the National Crime Records Bureau noted a 20% increase in reports of rape in the country from 2021 to 2022 with 31,516 reports.
Some information for this story came from Reuters and The Associated Press.
(VOA/SP)