Outraged Indian protesters, including rival football fans, are demanding justice after the rape and murder of a doctor, leading to widespread strikes by healthcare workers.
The discovery of the 31-year-old doctor’s body in a state-run hospital in Kolkata sparked protests across India against violence towards women.
Medical strikes in government-run hospitals in various cities continued on Monday, affecting non-essential services.
“We have set aside our differences to demand justice for the doctor and her family,” said Bablu Mukherjee, a supporter of Kolkata’s Mohun Bagan soccer team.
“The cause transcends our club loyalties and politics.”
The doctor was found in the seminar hall of the hospital, indicating she may have taken a break during a 36-hour shift.
An autopsy confirmed sexual assault, and her parents suspect she was gang-raped, as stated in a petition to the Kolkata High Court.
In a rare show of unity, fans from Kolkata’s usual rival East Bengal club joined a midnight rally with Mohun Bagan supporters, chanting for justice.
Protests in multiple cities, led by healthcare workers and supported by ordinary citizens, are calling for action against such heinous crimes.
“It’s not just a protest, it’s a plea for humanity,” said 23-year-old student Sristi Haldar, who joined a candlelit rally in Kolkata.
Doctors from the R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital, where the incident occurred, rallied outside the building on Monday, vowing to continue their protests until justice is served.
With essential medical services suspended, some doctors in New Delhi offered free consultations outside the health ministry.
India’s Supreme Court is overseeing the case, with a hearing scheduled in Kolkata’s High Court for Tuesday.
This disturbing incident has drawn comparisons to the brutal 2012 gang rape and murder in Delhi, reigniting outrage against sexual violence in a country where such crimes are prevalent.
One suspect has been detained in connection with the attack.
Sexual violence against women remains a significant issue in India, with nearly 90 reported rapes per day in 2022.
Reports also emerged of five arrests in a child rape case at a bus station in Uttarakhand state.
str-pzb-pjm/pbt
