The Supreme Court ordered doctors who were protesting the rape and murder of a postgraduate medical student at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College to return to work on Thursday. The court also gave them the assurance that they would face no repercussions if they did so. The lawyer for resident doctors at AIIMS Nagpur said at the court led by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud that they are being victimized because of protests over the Kolkata rape-murder case.

"Once they get back to duty, we will prevail upon authorities to not take adverse action. How will public health infrastructure run if the doctors do not work," the bench, also comprising Justice J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, said.

The bench advised them to report to work first and then come to us if there was still trouble.

Nationwide protests have been triggered by the junior doctor's alleged rape and murder in the state-run hospital's seminar hall.

On August 9, the doctor's body bearing severe injuries was discovered in the hospital's chest department seminar hall. In relation to the matter, the Kolkata Police detained a civic volunteer the next day.

The Calcutta High Court ordered on August 13 that the Kolkata Police hand over the inquiry to the CBI, which began looking into it on August 14.

(Input from various sources)

(Rehash/Priyanka Pandey/MSM)