Thousands of people took to the streets of Kolkata on Thursday morning to condemn the rape and murder of a local doctor, demanding justice for the victim and an end to the chronic problem of violence against women in Indian society.
The discovery of the 31-year-old’s battered body in a state hospital last week sparked nationwide protests, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi demanding swift punishment for those committing “monstrous” acts against women.
Large crowds marched through the streets of Kolkata in West Bengal to condemn the killing. A candlelight rally was held at midnight, coinciding with the start of India’s Independence Day celebrations on Thursday.
The protesters in Kolkata, who marched under the slogan ‘reclaim the night’, called for a broader approach to tackling violence against women and held up handwritten placards calling for action.
“We want justice,” read one sign at the demonstration. “Hang the rapist, save the women,” read another.
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“The atrocities against women are not stopping,” midnight marcher Monalisa Guha told The Telegraph newspaper in Kolkata.
“We are being harassed almost daily,” another protester, Sangeeta Halder, told the newspaper. “But not stepping out out of fear is not the solution.”
“Monstruous behavior towards women”
Modi did not specifically refer to the killing in Kolkata during Independence Day celebrations in New Delhi on Thursday morning, but expressed his “pain” over violence against women.
“There is anger over the atrocities committed against our mothers and sisters, there is anger in the country over this,” he said.
“Crimes against women must be swiftly investigated; monstrous behaviour against women must be punished severely and swiftly,” he added. “This is essential for creating deterrence and confidence in society.”
Doctors are also demanding speedy justice and better safety at workplaces following the killing, which left victims in government hospitals in several states on Monday discontinuation of elective services “indefinite” as a protest.
Since then, protests have taken place in several other hospitals in the country, including in the capital.
“Doctors across the country are asking what is so difficult about bringing in a law for our safety,” Dhruv Chauhan, of the Indian Medical Association’s Junior Doctors’ Network, told the Press Trust of India news agency. “The strike will continue until all demands are formally met.”
The Telegraph on Thursday praised the “vibrant public protests” across India.
“Heartwarmingly, doctors and medical organizations are not the only ones involved,” an editorial said. “The ranks of protesters have expanded to include people from all walks of life.”
Police accused of mismanaging case
According to Indian media, the murdered doctor was found in the seminar hall of the teaching hospital, suggesting she was there to rest during a long shift.
Autopsy has revealed evidence of sexual abuse. In a petition to the court, the victim’s parents said they suspect their daughter was gang-raped, according to Indian broadcaster NDTV.
Although police have arrested a man who worked at the hospital and helped people get through the busy queues, officers are accused of mismanaging the case.
The Kolkata High Court on Tuesday transferred the case to the elite Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to “instill public confidence.”
Early on Thursday morning, a mob of about 40 people, angry over the way the authorities had handled the case, stormed the premises of the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, the site of the murder.
According to authorities, the men destroyed property and threw rocks at police, who then fired tear gas.
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West Bengal legislator Abhishek Banerjee, of the Trinamool Congress party, condemned the “hooliganism and vandalism” but said “the demands of the protesting doctors are fair and justified.”
History of Sexual Violence in India
Sexual violence against women is a widespread problem in India. According to data from the National Crime Records Bureau, an average of nearly 90 rapes were reported every day in India in 2022.
That year, the police 11 people arrested after the alleged brutal gang rape and torture of a young woman, during which she was paraded through the streets of Delhi. Also in 2022, a police officer was arrested in India after he accused of rape a 13-year-old girl who went to his police station to report that she had been the victim of gang rape.
In March 2024, several Indian men were arrested after the gang rape of a Spanish tourist on a motorcycle trip with her husband.
The gruesome nature of the attack brings to mind the horrific gang rape and murder of a young woman on a bus in Delhi in 2012.
The woman became a symbol of the socially conservative country’s failure to tackle sexual violence against women.
Her death sparked large and sometimes violent demonstrations in Delhi and elsewhere.
Under pressure, the government has introduced tougher sentences for rapists, and the death penalty for repeat offenders.
Several new sex offences were also introduced, including stalking and prison sentences for officials who failed to register rape complaints.
