Kolkata: In a tense response to the recent rape and murder of a trainee doctor, Kolkata police employed teargas and water cannons to disperse hundreds of protesters who had taken to the streets to demand justice and improved safety measures for women. The demonstrations have sparked significant unrest in the city, highlighting ongoing concerns over sexual violence in India.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the situation escalated when protesters, primarily university students, breached iron barricades during their march towards the West Bengal state secretariat. The police, who had previously declared the protest illegal, resorted to a baton charge to control the crowd. The incident has intensified the scrutiny of West Bengal’s handling of public safety and women’s security, especially in medical institutions.
The attack on the 31-year-old doctor at Kolkata’s R.G. Kar Medical College on August 9 has ignited widespread condemnation and led to a nationwide outcry, with junior doctors in many parts of India ceasing to attend to non-emergency patients as a form of protest. Despite the Supreme Court’s intervention, which included the establishment of a hospital safety task force, many doctors remain on strike, demanding substantial changes to ensure their safety and that of their patients.
The unrest has led to a heavy police presence, with over 5,000 officers deployed across Kolkata and neighboring Howrah to manage further demonstrations, which have included calls for the resignation of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.