Guwahati, August 17: Around 50,000 doctors across Assam joined the nationwide protest on Saturday, demanding exemplary punishment for the culprits and a central law to ensure safety of medical professionals.

The Indian Medical Association (IMA) had declared a 24-hour withdrawal of non-emergency medical services from 6 am on August 17 to protest against the crime.

Doctors assembled in hospitals, wearing black badges and displaying placards, pressing for their demands, including justice for the victim, awareness and education in society, and a central law for safety of medical professionals.

Doctors highlighted the lack of security faced by medical professionals, particularly female doctors, and demanded swift and exemplary punishment for the culprits.

Protests were held at various hospitals, including Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Assam Medical College and Hospital (AMCH), Rupnath Brahma Civil Hospital, Jorhat Medical College and Hospital, and others.

Doctors demanded a central act to ensure security for all on-duty medical professionals and installation of CCTV cameras to ensure safety.

Placards with slogans like ‘No safety, no duty’, ‘No Justice, no peace’, ‘Stop shielding rapists’, ‘Doctor life matters’, ‘Stop rape’, and ‘We want justice’ were raised at different protest sites.