78th Indian Independence Day: Reclaim the Night march after Kolkata doctor’s rape and murder

Tens of thousands of women in West Bengal marched through the streets yesterday night in protest against the brutal rape and murder of a 31-year-old trainee doctor at the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata last Friday.

The Reclaim the Night march was a culmination of days of protests ignited by the gruesome incident. Though last night’s protests had been mostly peaceful, they’re marred by clashes involving the police and a small group of unidentified men barging into the hospital.

India completes 77 years of independence

The Kolkata rape and murder case has been making global headlines. Protesters have been demanding improved security measures for health professionals. Last night, other Indian cities like Delhi, Mumbai and Pune also noted smaller demonstrations.

During the march in Kolkata, women held placards of protest, their faces illuminated by the light of mobile phones, candlelight and flaming torches. Some carried national flags. Men of all age groups, both young and elderly, joined the peaceful march.

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India completed 77 years of independence at the stroke of midnight, and the soundscape of the protest quickly changed. The air started filling up by a spontaneous chorus of the national anthem. Then it started raining, but the protesters marched resolutely in the rain.

Kolkata doctor case transferred to Central Bureau of Investigation

The series of protests engulfing Kolkata in recent days have been fuelled by anger over local authorities’ handling of the young trainee doctor’s rape and murder. She had fallen asleep in a seminar room after a 36-hour shift last Thursday.

The next morning, her colleagues discovered her half-naked body, bearing extensive injuries. There have been accusations of negligence and cover-up. One person has been arrested and the case has been transferred from local police to the federal CBI.