Kolkata Rape-Murder: Massive Midnight Protests, Supreme Court To Hear Case Today
New Delhi: Protestors formed a human chain stretching 15 kilometres from Kolkata to North 24 Parganas, with thousands participating in the demonstration on Sunday demanding justice for the trainee doctor who was raped and murdered at a state-run hospital. The chain extended from Shyambazar near RG Kar Medical College and Hospital to Sodpur, the victim’s residence. Many participants carried placards reading “We Want Justice” as they rallied.
The protest was part of a larger wave of protests, organised under the banner of “Reclaim the Night,” a movement calling for safety and justice for women in public spaces.
Hundreds of junior doctors from state-run NRS Hospital also marched from Sealdah to Esplanade. At the rally’s end in Esplanade, the victim’s mother expressed her anguish, “Whenever I think about the torment, the pain experienced by my daughter on that night, I shudder. She had dreams to serve society. Now, all these protesters are my children”, news agency PTI reported.
At RG Kar Hospital, junior doctors formed a human chain at 5 pm, singing the national anthem while holding the tricolour. Other citizens joined them near a stage set up by left organisations SFI and DYFI.
A 14-kilometre-long human chain stretching from Shyambazar in North Kolkata to the suburb of Sodepur was also organised. Thousands of citizens, including rival football fans from East Bengal, Mohun Bagan, and Mohammedan Sporting, stood shoulder to shoulder, united in their call for justice, NDTV reported.
Meanwhile, a Bench comprising Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra will hear the case in the Supreme Court today. It comes after the initial hearing on August 22 when the Supreme Court took suo moto cognisance of the incident.
On August 20, the apex court termed the incident “horrific” and took additional measures to address safety concerns within the healthcare sector. The court issued several directives, including the formation of a 10-member National Task Force to develop protocols for ensuring the safety of doctors and healthcare workers across the country.
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