Doctors protest: MHA asks for situation report every 2 hrs from states

New Delhi: The Union Home Ministry has asked all state police forces to provide it situation reports every two hours in the wake of protests by doctors, nursing staff and others against the alleged rape and murder of a postgraduate trainee doctor at state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata.

In a communication to the state police forces, the home ministry said that the law and order situation of all states should be monitored in view of the protests.

"Henceforth, a continuous two-hourly law and order situation report in this regard may kindly be sent to the MHA control room (New Delhi) by Fax/ Email/ WhatsApp from 1600 hours today," the communication sent on Friday said.

The home ministry also provided the state police forces the Fax and WhatsApp numbers and the Email ID where the two-hourly situation report can be sent.

On August 9, a postgraduate trainee doctor was allegedly raped and murdered while on duty at the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata. A civic volunteer of Kolkata Police was arrested in connection with the crime the next day. The Calcutta High Court handed over the case to the CBI on Tuesday.

A group of people entered the premises of the hospital shortly after Wednesday midnight during protests by women against the rape-murder incident and vandalised portions of the medical facility.

Doctors and other medical staff have been protesting in different parts of the country affecting the functioning of health facilities. They are pressing for a central law to check violence against healthcare personnel, declaring hospitals safe zones with mandatory security entitlements among other demands.