Battle cry from Kolkata

The RG Kar Medical College rape-and-murder should ring alarm bells all over South Asia.

On August 9, when India was celebrating its beloved athlete Neeraj Chopra’s silver medal in the men’s javelin final in Paris, a harrowing incident took place in Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College that would traumatise the nation and ignite widespread outcry. A trainee doctor was brutally raped and murdered while resting in a seminar room after completing a 36-hour shift at the hospital. Tens of thousands of people in India’s major cities have taken to the streets, demanding justice and prompt investigation. The event has stirred anger in India, especially among women, highlighting the discourse on women’s safety and the challenges faced by female medical professionals.