Kolkata doctor rape-murder case: Midnight candle march taken out in Shimla demanding justice for victim

Shimla: A silent candle march was taken out at midnight on Monday by a group of people here at The Ridge to demand justice for the Kolkata doctor who was allegedly raped and murdered.

Besides seeking capital punishment for the accused, the peaceful and symbolic demonstration aimed to raise awareness in society and reclaim public places.

People from diverse backgrounds, under the banner of Shimla Collectives, came out with candles to demand “capital punishment for the accused, quick delivery of justice and martyr status for the victim”.

“Capital punishment and speedy justice are the only deterrent to crimes like rape. We are here at this hour to reclaim public places and make them safe for women irrespective of whether it is day or night,” former deputy mayor of Shimla Municipal Corporation (SMC) Tikender Panwar told PTI.

“It is not a crime against a doctor or a woman but a crime against humanity. Many people blame the victim’s clothes as one of the reasons behind such brutal acts but in this case, a resident doctor was raped and murdered at her workplace,” Swati Sharma, a doctor, said.

“Are we safe at night, can I roam at night safely without causing concern to my parents, I do not think so and we want things to change this time,” Saina Malhotra, who joined the candle march, said.

“The march has been organised on the festival of Raksha Bandhan when we tie a thread on the wrist of our brothers for protection. On this day, I would like to call upon all the men in the country to protect every woman because she is someone’s sister and daughter, so respect every woman,” she added.

Umang, a sitting councillor of the SMC, said that the people have come with a hope that the mindset can be changed.

“All of us are here at midnight to give a message that Shimla is still a place where women can move freely even at midnight and would request our brothers to support us to make our country safer for women,” she said.

Lalita Ahuja, an elderly woman, urged parents to inculcate good values in their children and said that it is now time to have rigid laws such as in Dubai to ensure the safety of women in the country.

Besides justice, the demonstrators also sought “martyr status” for the victim who had worked 36 hours before the incident.

On August 9, the body of the postgraduate trainee doctor was found in the seminar hall of the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata. A civic volunteer was arrested in connection with the crime the next day. Later, the Calcutta High Court handed over the case to the CBI.