Thousands of women marched across several Indian cities in protest against the recent rape and murder of a trainee doctor in Kolkata, Reuters reports.
The incident has sparked widespread outrage and demands for safer working conditions for medics, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi calling for strict punishment for crimes against women. Junior doctors in government hospitals have suspended services, except for emergencies, to protest and demand justice. The 31-year-old victim was found dead, having been raped and murdered, and a police volunteer has been arrested in connection with the crime.
Modi, in his 78th Independence Day address, acknowledged the national outrage and the need to address atrocities against women. The incident has evoked memories of a similar 2012 case in New Delhi, when a 23-year-old student was gang raped and severely injured, leading to her death. Bollywood actor Alia Bhatt highlighted the ongoing issue of women’s safety.
India’s National Crime Records Bureau reported a 4% increase in crimes against women in 2022 from the previous year.
