Skip to main content

Indian police fire teargas at hundreds protesting over Kolkata doctor’s rape, murder

Police in India fired teargas and water cannon to disperse hundreds of protesters marching in the eastern city of Kolkata on Tuesday to demand the resignation of a top state minister in the wake of a gruesome rape and murder of a trainee doctor.

Protesters led by university students broke through the iron barricades set up on the route of their march to the West Bengal state secretariat, television footage showed, resulting in a baton charge by the police, who had earlier declared the protest illegal.

The August 9 attack on the 31-year-old doctor has caused nationwide outrage, similar to the widespread protests witnessed after a 2012 gang-rape of a 23-year-old student on a moving bus in New Delhi, with campaigners saying women continue to suffer from high levels of sexual violence despite tougher laws.

A police volunteer has been arrested for the crime and the federal police have taken over the investigation.

Junior doctors have refused to see non-emergency patients in many parts of the country since the incident at Kolkata’s state-run R.G. Kar Medical College, as they launched protests demanding justice for the victim and greater safety for women at hospitals.

India’s Supreme Court has created a hospital safety task force and has requested protesting doctors return to work, but some have refused to budge, including in West Bengal, of which Kolkata is the capital.

On Tuesday, more than 5,000 policemen were deployed in Kolkata and the neighbouring city of Howrah, a senior officer said, as the protests led by some university students took off, demanding the resignation of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

Kunal Ghosh, a spokesperson for Banerjee’s ruling Trinamool Congress Party, blamed the police crackdown on “lawlessness” created by workers of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party, which is the main opposition party in the state, as well as groups affiliated to it.

The BJP has extended its support to the protesting students, while senior state leader Suvendu Adhikari told reporters that Banerjee’s administration was trying to suppress the rape and murder incident — a charge the state government has denied.



from The Dawn News - Home https://ift.tt/83vpgBf
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

DG ISPR to address press conference on counterterrorism efforts, security situation at 2:15pm today

Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General (DG) Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry will address an “important” press conference today on counterterrorism efforts and the country’s security situation, state broadcaster PTV News has said. “DG ISPR will hold an important press conference at 2:15pm today,” PTV News said in a post on X . “DG ISPR will give a briefing on the internal and security situation, actions taken against terrorism, and other matters,” the post added. The press conference takes place after heightened security concerns, specifically in Balochistan following a spate of terror attacks on August 26. In the latest flare-up of violence, dozens of militants affiliated with the banned Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) — a separatist outfit — launched numerous attacks across Balochistan last week, killing at least 50 , including 14 security men. A suicide attack also took place in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s North Waziristan on August 26, killing four ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Indian police hunt more suspects in gang rape of Spanish tourist

Three Indian men have appeared in court after the gang rape of a Spanish tourist on a motorbike trip with her husband, with police hunting four other suspects, reports have said. The attack took place on Friday night in eastern India in Jharkhand state’s Dumka district, where the couple were camping. A total of seven men are accused of carrying out the brutal assault. “We have formed a team to hunt the remaining suspects,” senior local police officer Pitamber Singh Kherwar told AFP . On Sunday, three accused were seen being escorted into court with sacks on their heads by police officers holding ropes tied around their waists. The three were later remanded in custody. The Spanish woman and her husband were also in court. “We have to ensure strict punishment,” Kherwar said, the Press Trust of India (PTI) news agency reported Monday. Kherwar said a special team including forensic officers had been formed to scour the scene of the attack, while another team was hunting more suspec...
Post a Comment
Read more

Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani skipping home run derby

Baseball’s biggest star is skipping the home run derby. Shohei Ohtani confirmed after Tuesday’s win over the Diamondbacks that he will not be participating as he continues to rehab an elbow injury that has prevented him from pitching this season. “There’s been some conversations going on,” Ohtani said, according to Juan Toribio of MLB.com . “I’m in the middle of my rehab progression, so it’s not going to look like I’ll be participating.” Manager Dave Roberts said Ohtani and the club reached the decision together. Ohtani signed a historic 10-year, $700-million contract with the Dodgers after winning his second AL MVP award last season with the Angels. Despite his elbow injury, he has served as the Dodgers’ primary DH this season and been one of the most productive hitters in baseball. Ohtani entered Tuesday hitting .316/.399/.635 with a 1.034 OPS. He hit his NL-leading 27th home run in the win. Ohtani had previously participated in the Derby in 2021. Last season’s champion, Vlad...
Post a Comment
Read more