The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday spoke about the doctors’ protest in West Bengal following the rape and murder of a postgraduate trainee doctor at the R G Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata.

Emphasising that the public require doctors for medical assistance, the court urged the medical fraternity to consider calling off the protests and treat patients in need.

“We are truly appreciative of the feelings vented out by the doctors and the medical students and in particular those at the R G Kar Medical College and Hospital,” said the court.

It went on to also highlight the obligation doctors have towards those who might need treatment, especially those unable to afford private care.

“However, we wish to observe that there is a pious obligation on the part of doctors to treat their patients, more particularly the patients who turn to government hospitals, as they do not belong to the affluent strata of society,” the court observed.

“Therefore, we would appeal to the learned members of the medical profession to discuss with the senior officials of the state government and consider calling off their agitation so that the public who come to the hospitals for treatment are not put to prejudice,” the court said.

The protests were sparked after a 31-year-old trainee doctor at R G Kar Medical College was found dead in the seminar hall of the hospital.

Her post-mortem report further revealed that she had been raped. Protesting doctors have demanded better security measures and swift action regarding the investigation.

On Tuesday, the probe into the rape-murder case was transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation upon the orders of the Calcutta High Court.