Thousands of Indians living abroad held protests in over 130 cities across 25 countries on Sunday, according to organizers, demanding justice following the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at a Kolkata hospital last month.
The protests began in countries like Japan, Australia, Taiwan, and Singapore, then spread to Europe and the United States. These international protests support the ongoing demonstrations in India, following the tragic death of the 31-year-old postgraduate student of chest medicine on August 9. A suspect has been arrested, along with the former principal of R.G.Kar Medical College, where the victim was studying.
The victim had been resting on a piece of carpet in a seminar room after working a 36-hour shift, as the hospital lacked proper dorms or rest areas. She was later found with severe injuries, including bleeding from her eyes and mouth, as well as damage to her legs, stomach, ankles, right hand, and finger, according to a medical report seen by Reuters.
Hundreds gathered in several cities in California’s San Francisco Bay Area, calling for accountability and safety for women in India. People of all ages, including young children and seniors, participated in reciting poems and performing street theater.
In Stockholm, Sweden, a large group of mostly black-clad women gathered at Sergels Torg square, singing Bengali songs and holding signs demanding justice.
Despite the introduction of stricter laws after the horrific 2012 gang rape and murder of a 23-year-old student on a bus in New Delhi, activists argue that the Kolkata case shows that women in India still face widespread sexual violence.
India’s federal police are investigating the case but have not yet filed charges. In response to the crime, the Supreme Court established a hospital safety task force last month to propose ways to improve security for medical workers across the country.
