As a mark of protest against the rape-murder of a young doctor at the RG Kar Medical College, most of Kolkata went dark on Wednesday evening and people carried out a candle march.
In a unique display of solidarity, sharp at 9 pm, prominent landmarks of the city, like the Victoria Memorial and Raj Bhavan, went dark. Governor CV Ananda Bose also switched off the lights at Raj Bhavan to show solidarity. “When light is fear, darkness is dear,” he said. Switching off lights at their homes, people hit the streets with burning candles.
In Kolkata, protests were carried out at several landmarks including Shyambazar, Moulali, New Town Biswa Bangla Gate, Rashbehari crossing, Behala, Garia, Ballygunge, Hazra crossing and Jadavpur 8B bus stand. At the epicentre – RG Kar Medical College and Hospital – junior and senior doctors held a protest which was also attended by the woman’s parents and other family members.
Other regions in the state — including twin city Howrah — also witnessed protests, with people marching with burning torches, candles and cellphone torches. Protests were held in Delhi as well. Doctors at Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital and AIIMS carried out a candle-light march.
The Bengal Junior Doctors’ Front, which had called for the protest, titled the event “Let There Be Light, Let There Be Justice”. It was meant to coincide with the second hearing of the case in the Supreme Court, which was called off.
Earlier on Monday, Dr Sandip Ghosh, the former Principal of the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, was arrested by the CBI in connection with financial irregularities at the hospital during his tenure.
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The partially clothed body of the young woman was found in the hospital’s seminar room on the morning of August 9. She was allegedly raped and murdered in the seminar hall of the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. Protests against the incident spread like wildfire across the nation till the Supreme Court took notice of the matter.