Football rivals East Bengal, Mohun Bagan unite to protest Kolkata horror

Kolkata: Supporters of arch-rivals East Bengal and Mohun Bagan gathered near the Salt Lake stadium, the venue of the cancelled Kolkata Derby, on Sunday evening in a rare show of camaraderie to protest the alleged rape and murder of a doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.

Braving intermittent rains, over a hundred fans initially gathered outside the stadium with placards and posters even as the season's first Derby -- a Durand Cup match between the two most-followed football clubs of the country -- was cancelled with police citing concerns over the law and order situation.

Supporters of the two clubs held each other's flags and raised slogans demanding justice for the victim's family, with a huge contingent of the police keeping a vigil on the situation. Supporters of the Mohammedan SC, another major football club, also joined the protests a while later.