Women in Bengaluru protest rape and murder of Kolkata doctor; demand justice, safety, respect

The gruesome rape and murder of a post-graduate trainee doctor in Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College & Hospital on August 9 saw the country erupt into protests over the week.

In Bengaluru, a number of protests took place in Freedom Park during the weekend. Among them, a group protest titled 'Rise for One - March for Her March for Us' demanding justice, safety, and respect for women everywhere was organised by Inspire (a pan-India & India Diaspora women empowerment platform on WhatsApp, Linkedin & Instagram) & On the Buzz (creative collective).

The gathering saw a number of women including working professionals and students making their voices heard on Saturday evening.

Speaking to HerStory, Flt Lt Kanchan Dwivedi (Retd), the Founder of Inspire, said, the horrific incident involving the Kolkata doctor sparked conversation on the Inspire social media groups.

“We were all feeling angry, outraged, and devastated that this had happened to a woman who was busy serving others at her workplace. It also made us feel that women are not safe anywhere. We wanted to tell others how we felt. I approached the police commissioner’s office for permission on Friday evening and with their cooperation this was organised on Saturday.”

“As a group, we are demanding three important measures—swift justice, enable a change in mindset with focus and equity, and respect for women through public campains and advertising targeting adults and kids and safer mobility through CCTVs on roads, offices, bus tops, dedicated transport for women, PGs and travelling hostels for women,” she added.

The group plans to take this further by taking their demands to women’s associations in Karnataka and the National Commission for Women (NCW).

Sandhya Sriram, CFO of a prominent hospital in Bangalore and part of The Women Network who was at the gathering, said, "Many times we think, what can one person do, but every voice matters, and when we come together and speak in a collective tone, we will make ourselves heard. The march at Freedom Park is a part of the massive tsunami that is building up in the country and I am sure grassroot changes will happen.”

“The momentum from our protests must spark real change. We must educate ourselves, raise our voices, and demand action to create a world where women can live without fear. Let's harness this energy to strengthen laws, educate communities, and support survivors. We owe it to ourselves, our sisters, and our daughters to make women's safety a reality,” said Poornima Shetty, Founder OnTheBuzz, President-iCare Brigade.

Since the incident, women have organised 'Reclaim the Night' protests in different parts of the country and dcotors have joined the strike called by the Indian Medical Association (IMA).