Thousands of people took to the streets of Kolkata to condemn the rape and murder of a medic, sparking protests across India demanding greater safety for women, Indian media reported.
Numerous crowds marched through the streets of Kolkata in West Bengal to condemn the murder. The midnight candlelight rally coincided with the start of India’s Independence Day celebrations on Thursday.
The discovery of the shredded body of a 31-year-old woman at a government hospital last week sparked widespread outrage, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi demanding swift punishment for those who commit ‘heinous acts’ against women.
Police arrested a civilian volunteer at the hospital, Sanjay Roy, in connection with the attack on Saturday. Roy’s duties are unclear, but local media reported that he was partly working as a caller, helping speed up patient admissions in exchange for money.
Rajan Sharma, former president of the Indian Medical Association, said that changes in the functioning of government hospitals are urgently needed, especially with regard to access to the facility.
The protesters in Kolkata, who marched under the slogan “Take back the night,” called for a wider look at violence against women and held handwritten placards demanding action.
“We want justice,” read one of the signs at the rally. “Hang the rapist, save the women,” read another sign.
Midnight girl Monalisa Guha told The Telegraph in Kolkata:
“The atrocities against women do not stop.”
Another marcher, Sangeeta Halder, told the daily.:
“We face harassment almost on a daily basis. But not stepping out because of fear is not the solution.”
Doctors in India say that in addition to sexual violence, they also face the threat of assault by angry family members of patients, especially after breaking bad news.
A survey by the Indian Medical Association found that 75 per cent of doctors in India have experienced some form of violence.
