A 31-year-old junior trainee doctor was found dead at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata after a 36-hour shift. The rape and murder provoked nationwide protests that evolved into the 'Reclaim the Night' movement demanding safer public spaces and workplaces for women. West Bengal launched 'Rattirer Shaathi' (Helpers of the Night), limiting staff shifts to 12 hours, creating CCTV-monitored safe zones in hospitals, deploying police at major medical facilities, and ensuring gender-balanced security teams. The Bondhu app with an alarm linked to local police was introduced and helplines were promoted. Suspect Sanjay Roy was arrested, later convicted 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.
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