Protests Escalate In India Over Gruesome Rape Of Doctor
Photo: Reuters/Francis Mascarenhas
KOLKATA, (REUTERS) – Holding candles, hundreds of thousands of women marched through the night in cities across India, to protest the brutal rape and murder of a young female doctor in a hospital that has fueled anger over a lack of safety for women despite tough new laws.
A 31-year-old trainee doctor was raped and murdered inside the medical college in Kolkata where she worked on August 9, triggering nationwide protests among doctors and drawing parallels to the notorious gang rape and murder of a 23-year-old student on a moving bus in New Delhi in 2012. Nirbhaya is on every Indian’s conscience now.
“We have come here to demand justice because even I have a daughter. I am scared to send her anywhere…I am scared to send my daughter to study,” said Rinky Ghosh, who took part in a protest in Kolkata. “So, I am here today because something … must be done, this injustice must stop.”
The doctor had retired to sleep on a piece of carpet in a seminar room in the R G Kar Medical College after a marathon 36-hour shift, given the lack of any dorms or resting rooms for doctors on the premises, her colleagues said.
She was found dead on August 9. Police said she had been raped and murdered and a police volunteer was subsequently arrested in connection with the crime.
Many government hospitals in cities across India suspended all services except emergency departments earlier this week, as junior doctors sat outside in protest, demanding justice.
The victim was found bleeding from her eyes and mouth, with injuries to her legs, stomach, ankles, her right hand and finger, a doctor’s inquest report said.
In protests called “Reclaim the Night”, women marched across several Indian cities from midnight on the eve of the country’s 78th Independence Day, to protest the lack of safety for women in India, especially at night.
“As a society, we have to think about the atrocities being committed against our mothers, daughters and sisters. There is outrage against this in the country. I can feel this outrage,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in an Independence Day address to the nation on August 15.
The 2012 Delhi rape case was seen as a turning point in attitudes towards women’s safety in Indian society. It triggered huge protests and was the catalyst for rapid change in laws tackling crimes against women.
These included fast-track courts for swifter convictions in such cases, but protesters say a decade on, the situation for women has not improved.
“This horrific incident has once again reminded us of that women disproportionately bear the weight of ensuring their own safety,” Bollywood actor Alia Bhatt said in a post on her Instagram page, which has more than 85 million followers.
Doctors in India’s crowded and often squalid government hospitals have long complained of being overworked and underpaid and say not enough is done to curb violence levelled at them by people angered over the medical care on offer.
Crimes against women in India rose 4% in 2022 from the previous year, data from the National Crime Records Bureau, released late last year, showed.
Jagjit Singh
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The recent rape and murder of a 31-year-old trainee doctor in Kolkata have reignited urgent concerns about the safety of women in India. This tragic event has cast a glaring spotlight on a recurring issue that severely tarnishes India’s aspirations of being a global leader. The thousands of medical professionals and civilians protesting on the streets reflect the nation’s collective outrage and demand for justice.
August 27, 2024Despite legal measures and workplace harassment guidelines implemented after the 2012 gang rape of Nirbhaya in New Delhi, these protections remain largely ineffective. The lax implementation of laws, unprofessional handling of sexual assault cases, and ingrained societal prejudices against women contribute to a deeply dysfunctional system. As Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud emphasized, India cannot afford to wait for another brutal crime to push for meaningful change.
Women in India face daily threats of sexual violence, whether at work, on public transportation, or even within their homes. The persistent danger has not only hindered women’s safety but has also placed the onus of their protection on themselves and their families. Such circumstances significantly limit the freedom and opportunities of women, stunting the progress of half the nation’s population.
It is crucial that the government and law enforcement agencies take immediate, concrete action to prevent such heinous crimes. This includes properly training personnel, ensuring prompt and professional investigations, and holding those responsible accountable. Only by fostering a society that genuinely respects and protects women’s rights can India hope to emerge as a true global leader.