Kolkata Rape Case: Peaceful Protest Turned Into Violent One As Police Fired Tear Gas

Massive Women's Protest Sweeps West Bengal Following Trainee Doctor's Murder

On Wednesday night, tens of thousands of women took to the streets across West Bengal in a powerful "Reclaim the Night" march. This unprecedented demonstration was sparked by the brutal rape and murder of a 31-year-old female trainee doctor at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College the previous Friday.

The protest, largely organized through social media, saw women from all walks of life marching through Kolkata and other parts of West Bengal, braving rainy conditions. While mostly peaceful, there were isolated incidents of unrest, including clashes between police and a group that vandalized the hospital where the crime occurred.

Protesters carried torches, candles, and national flags, chanting demands for justice. The march culminated at midnight as India marked 77 years of independence, with participants spontaneously singing the national anthem.

The scale of the protest was remarkable, with one reporter noting it as the largest gathering of women marching at night the city had ever seen. Participants expressed their frustration over ongoing safety issues for women, even in 2024.

The case that triggered the protests involved a trainee doctor who was found dead after a 36-hour shift, having fallen asleep in a seminar room due to lack of proper rest facilities. The incident has raised questions about workplace safety and led to accusations of negligence and cover-up attempts.

Smaller solidarity protests were held in other major Indian cities, including Delhi, Mumbai, and Hyderabad. The Kolkata march was meticulously organized, welcoming women and marginalized gender identities, with men invited as allies and observers.

This "Reclaim the Night" march, while not the first of its kind in India, stands out as the largest and most impactful, potentially serving as a wake-up call to authorities regarding women's safety and rights.