The city of Kolkata witnessed widespread protests in Mahalaya as hundreds of junior doctors and medical students took to the streets, demanding swift justice in the recent rape and murder case of a fellow medical student. The agitation was a reaction to the West Bengal government's delay in responding to junior doctors' demands for safety and security. Junior doctors have not agreed to return to work until the victim receives justice and the government complies with their demands.
The Bengal Junior Doctors' Front organised the protest march, which started at College Street and finished in Kolkata's Esplanade neighbourhood. Marchers carried placards and the Indian flag, and they shouted slogans throughout.
Protesters are not only seeking justice for the victim but are also raising concerns over the safety of medical students and professionals, particularly women, in the city. "We demand justice for our colleague and stricter measures to ensure the safety of all students. This case has shaken us, and we will not rest until the guilty are brought to justice," said one of the protest leaders.
The protest was also held on a significant day because Mahalaya is the starting point of Durga Puja celebrations, during which people call on the goddess Durga to come to Earth. However, in the wake of the horrifying rape and murder case, all celebrations of the day have been compromised this year.
Following the march, protesters gathered along the Ganga River's banks and lit 1,000 diyas as a symbolic act. "We have been protesting for 52 days now, and attacks are still happening. Aniket Mahato, one of the outraged young doctors, addressed the assembly, saying, "There is no good response from the state management towards resolving our safety and security requests."
As the protests continue to gain momentum, the medical community and citizens of Kolkata remain steadfast in their demands for justice and safety reforms. The tragic rape-murder case has cast a shadow over the festive season in the city, with widespread calls for an overhaul of security measures and legal accountability.
