SAN FRANCISCO, Sept 9, V7N – Thousands of Indians from the diaspora staged protests across more than 130 cities in 25 countries on Sunday, demanding justice following the horrific rape and murder of a trainee doctor in Kolkata last month. Organisers said demonstrations began in Asia, with protests in Japan, Australia, Taiwan, and Singapore, before spreading to Europe and the United States.

The global protests coincided with ongoing demonstrations across India after the 31-year-old postgraduate student of chest medicine was killed on August 9 while on duty. A suspect and the former principal of R.G. Kar Medical College, where the victim studied, have been arrested in connection with the crime.

"This heinous crime shocked and numbed us all," said Dipti Jain, one of the protest organisers. "The sheer ruthlessness, brutality, and disregard for human life left us demanding justice."

The doctor had been resting on a piece of carpet after an exhausting 36-hour shift due to the lack of proper dormitories at the hospital. She was later found severely injured, bleeding from her eyes and mouth, with wounds to her legs, stomach, ankles, and hand, according to an inquest report.

In the San Francisco Bay Area, hundreds gathered to call for accountability and greater safety measures for women in India. In Dublin, California, protesters formed a human chain, chanting slogans like "We demand justice" and "Justice for R.G. Kar," while participating in street performances and poetry recitations.

Sukalpa Chowdhury, a 39-year-old physician who attended the Dublin protest, emphasized the broader concerns about workplace safety. "This isn’t just about women's safety; it's about ensuring that our future generations feel safe and can pursue their education in a secure environment," she said.

In Stockholm, Sweden, a group of black-clad women gathered at Sergels Torg square, singing Bengali songs and holding signs to express their solidarity with the victim and demand justice.

Despite India’s efforts to strengthen laws after the infamous 2012 Delhi gang rape, activists argue that the recent tragedy in Kolkata highlights the persistent issue of sexual violence against women. India's federal police are investigating the crime, and the Supreme Court has established a hospital safety task force to propose measures for protecting medical workers, but charges have yet to be filed in the case.

END/WD/RH