The brutal rape and murder of a 31-year-old female trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata after a 36-hour shift ignited nationwide demonstrations and a women's social justice movement called "Reclaim the Night" demanding safer public spaces and workplaces. West Bengal launched "Rattirer Shaathi" with measures including 12-hour work limits, CCTV-monitored safe zones, police deployments at major medical facilities, and mixed-gender security staff. A mobile alarm app, Bondhu, and helplines were promoted. Sanjay Roy, a 33-year-old police volunteer, was arrested, later found guilty by the Sealdah Criminal Court and sentenced to life imprisonment.
The brutal rape and murder of a young female trainee doctor at one of the largest government-run hospitals in the eastern Indian city of Kolkata in August 2024 caused a nationwide outcry, leading to demonstrations in several cities across India. The protests spread and morphed into a women's social justice movement, "Reclaim the Night," which demanded safer public spaces and workplaces for women.
Following the incident, West Bengal's state government introduced a comprehensive safety initiative called "Rattirer Shaathi" (Helpers of the Night) to protect women working night shifts in hospitals and similar institutions. As part of the program, restrictions were put in place preventing staff, including doctors, from working more than 12 hours at a stretch. Other measures included CCTV-monitored safe zones for women in hospitals, police deployments at major medical facilities, and a balanced gender representation in security staff with both male and female guards.
#gender-based-violence #workplace-safety-in-healthcare #protestsreclaim-the-night #west-bengal-policy-response
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