NEW DELHI: Thousands of women took to the streets across several Indian cities in overnight marches, protesting against the pervasive lack of safety for women in the country. This surge of demonstrations was ignited by the brutal rape and murder of a trainee doctor, which has sparked outrage across India. Holding candles and posters bearing the message “reclaim the night,” women marched in cities like Kolkata, where the recent crime occurred, demanding safer working conditions and justice for the victim.
In response to the incident, many government hospitals across India suspended non-emergency services earlier this week as junior doctors staged protests, calling for justice and increased safety measures. The 31-year-old doctor was found dead last Friday, with police confirming that she had been raped and murdered. A police volunteer has since been arrested in connection with the crime.
This tragic event has rekindled memories of the 2012 Delhi gang rape, a case that shocked India and led to widespread calls for change. Bollywood actor Alia Bhatt, in a post to her 85 million Instagram followers, reflected on the incident, saying it painfully underscores the disproportionate burden women bear in ensuring their own safety.
India has seen huge rise in crimes against women in 2022, according to the National Crime Records Bureau. Doctors in overcrowded and underfunded government hospitals have long voiced concerns about their safety, citing overwork, underpayment, and frequent violence from frustrated patients and their families. This latest tragedy has intensified the calls for a safer environment for women across all walks of life in India.
