Thousands of Indian community members protested across more than 130 cities in 25 countries on Sunday, according to organizers. These global demonstrations were held to demand justice following the brutal rape and murder of a trainee doctor in Kolkata last month.
The protests began in various parts of Asia, including Japan, Australia, Taiwan, and Singapore, before spreading to cities across Europe and beyond. In the U.S. alone, 60 protests were scheduled. These international demonstrations coincided with ongoing protests throughout India after the tragic killing of the 31-year-old postgraduate chest medicine student on August 9.
A suspect has been arrested, along with the former principal of RG Kar Medical College, where the victim was pursuing her studies.
In Stockholm, Sweden, a group of women dressed mostly in black gathered in Sergels Torg square. They sang Bengali songs and held signs demanding justice and safety for women in India. Dipti Jain, an organizer of the global protests, expressed the deep shock and horror shared by many over the ruthless crime.
“The news of this heinous crime committed on a young trainee doctor while on duty numbed and shocked each of us at the sheer ruthlessness, brutality, and disregard for human life,” said Jain. Now a British citizen and an alumna of Calcutta National Medical College and Hospital, Jain had organized a protest by female doctors in the UK last month.
The Supreme Court of India has scheduled the next hearing for the case on Monday. Despite the introduction of tougher laws following the infamous 2012 gang rape and murder of a 23-year-old student in New Delhi, activists argue that the Kolkata case highlights the ongoing threat of sexual violence against women in the country.