On Sunday, fans of rival football clubs Mohun Bagan and East Bengal united to protest the rape and murder of a 31-year-old trainee doctor in Kolkata. The demonstration took place outside the iconic Salt Lake Stadium, where a Durand Cup match between the two teams was scheduled but was called off due to concerns over law and order.
This is historic.
For the first time perhaps, flags of East Bengal and Mohun Bagan — the two iconic football clubs of Kolkata — are flying together in unity to protest against the gangrape and murder of the young doctor. #JusticeForMoumita pic.twitter.com/5jMdgSX19w— Abhijit Majumder (@abhijitmajumder) August 18, 2024
Protest and Police Response
Fans gathered in large numbers, holding their club flags and posters demanding justice for the trainee doctor who was brutally raped and murdered at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. The Bidhan Nagar police had earlier requested the public to avoid assembling at the stadium, imposing restrictive orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS). Despite this, the crowd grew, leading to intense sloganeering against the horrific incident.
As tensions escalated, police resorted to lathicharge and detained several protesters, putting them inside police vans. The heavy-handed response from the police was met with widespread criticism.
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Reactions and Ongoing Protests
All India Football Federation President Kalyan Chaubey expressed his dismay at the situation, stating, “It is very shameful; law and order has completely collapsed in West Bengal. A football match could not happen… and look at the police deployment, it looks like a riot is going on.”
Nationwide protests against the rape and murder continue, with doctors leading a 24-hour strike that ended on Sunday morning. However, medical professionals in Delhi and Kolkata are persisting with their agitation, demanding justice and accountability in the case.
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