A protest organized under the banner of 'Reclaim the Night' turned violent late last night, resulting in significant damage to RG Kar Medical College and Hospital and clashes with police. The protest was triggered by the recent rape and murder of a young woman in Kolkata, which has ignited widespread outrage across the city.
Around 12.40 am, the miscreants broke into RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, destroying hospital property while junior doctors were still in a state of agitation over the August 9 rape and murder of a post-graduate trainee doctor, which the Central Bureau of Investigation began investigating on Wednesday.
The 'Reclaim the Night' movement, which gained popularity on social media, was the driving force behind the protests, which started at 11:55 p.m. on Independence Day and moved to important locations in large and small cities, including several Kolkata memorials. Brickbats injured several policemen during the incident. Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Goyal, who reached the spot around 2 am, blamed social media posts and rumors for the violence.
Police said that some 40 individuals—posing as demonstrators—entered the hospital, damaged property, and threw stones at officers, forcing them to use tear gas to break up the crowd. According to them, the event also caused damage to a couple two-wheelers and a police vehicle at the location.
At midnight on Wednesday, thousands of women from a variety of backgrounds protested the violent rape and murder of a doctor who was working at a hospital in Kolkata last week by taking to the streets of West Bengal. Women from all walks of life, including homemakers, professionals, and students, united in their demand for responsibility and an end to violence against women, were heard chanting "We Want Justice" in the streets as night fell. This expression of collective outrage and sadness was tremendous.
Many people assembled in many places, such as the Academy of Fine Arts, Jadavpur 8B Bus Stand, College Square, Naktala Nabapally, Behala Sakher Bazar, New Town Biswa Bangla Gate, and Shyambazar Five Point Crossing. Similar scenes of solidarity and protest were seen in Sreerampore, Chunchura, Santiniketan, Krishnanagar, Bardhaman, Siliguri, Barasat, Barrackpore, Rajarhat-Newtown, Cooch Behar, and Jalpaiguri.
