Mass Nighttime Protests Across West Bengal Over Doctor’s Rape and Murder
Tens of thousands of people across the Indian state of West Bengal took to the streets on Thursday night in torch-lit vigils and rallies, demanding justice for a young female doctor who was raped and murdered at a Kolkata hospital last year. The “Raatdakhhol” — literally “Night Occupation” — protests were held simultaneously in multiple locations, from Kolkata’s Shyambazar and Jadavpur to towns such as Burdwan, Ghatal, and Medinipur. The movement, spearheaded by a citizens’ collective known as Abhaya Manch (“Fearless Forum”), began exactly a year after a massive outpouring of public anger first swept the city on 14 August 2024. In Kolkata, demonstrators gathered at key intersections — including Shyambazar, Rasbehari Avenue, Lake Town, and Nagerbazar — holding flaming torches, waving national flags, and using mobile phone flashlights to light the night. Many sat in circles on the pavement, reading poetry, staging street plays, and painting protest art on the road. The rallies were not limited to the state capital. In Hooghly district, crowds gathered from Chinsurah to Singur; in Howrah, protesters occupied sites such as Kadamtala and Santragachi; and in Burdwan, people assembled near the historic Curzon Gate. In the southern suburbs, including Behala and Sonarpur, the protests were marked by both large turnouts and political tensions. Organisers accused local leaders from the ruling Trinamool Congress of trying to disrupt the events, a charge the party denied. In Shyambazar, the mother of nine-year-old Tamanna Khatun — killed earlier this year in a bomb attack during a political victory procession in Nadia district — joined the rally, saying she wanted justice not only for her daughter but also for the murdered doctor. Smaller towns such as Ghatal in West Midnapore and Ashoknagar in North 24 Parganas saw late-evening gatherings, with makeshift stages set up for speeches and cultural performances. The original crime — the brutal rape and killing of a junior doctor at RG Kar Medical College in Kolkata — sparked nationwide outrage in 2024, drawing comparisons to the 2012 Delhi gang rape case. The victim’s colleagues have since led repeated strikes, marches, and symbolic occupations, demanding stronger protections for women in the workplace and faster trials in sexual assault cases. On Thursday night, the chants of “We want justice” once again echoed through Bengal’s streets, underscoring the enduring anger and grief that has kept the case alive in public memory.
RG Kar protesters lathicharged, victim’s mother says Mamata’s cops assaulted her
Clashes in Kolkata as RG Kar doctor’s parents lead the protest march. Police in Kolkata have clashed with demonstrators during a rally led by the parents of a young doctor who was raped and murdered last year at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. The unrest broke out on Saturday when the march, which had been given a designated protest site, diverted towards Park Street in central Kolkata. Protesters attempted to breach police barricades in a bid to reach the West Bengal secretariat, Nabanna. Police used batons and water cannons to disperse the crowd, which included senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders such as Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari. Mr Adhikari alleged that more than 100 people, including BJP legislators and the victim’s parents, were injured. The victim’s mother accused the police of physically assaulting her. “Mamata Banerjee’s police roughed me up without provocation and broke my bangles,” she said. “All we want is to reach the secretariat and seek justice for my daughter.” In January, a CBI court convicted Sanjay Roy, a civic volunteer with Kolkata Police, of the rape and murder of the 31-year-old trainee doctor, whose body was found inside the hospital’s seminar hall in August 2024. A post-mortem report confirmed she had been throttled and smothered. The case sparked widespread protests and led to the resignation of the hospital’s principal. Police imposed prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita in areas around Nabanna, and traffic restrictions were enforced on major roads and bridges, including Howrah Bridge. Some protesters attempted to dismantle 10-foot-high barricades in both Kolkata and Howrah, while others scaled them or used blunt tools to break through. BJP MLA Agnimitra Paul and other party workers were seen climbing onto barricades. The Kolkata Police said they had deployed heavy security, including the Rapid Action Force, and placed large containers and multi-layered barricades to prevent marches from reaching sensitive locations. Another rally is planned from Hazra crossing to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s residence in Kalighat.
