Aakar Patel, Chair of Amnesty International India, on Thursday, urged Indian authorities to protect protesters who were demonstrating against the brutal rape and murder of a doctor in Kolkata, the capital of West Bengal. The appeal is in response to the violent attacks on Wednesday night, by an unidentified gang on protesters outside RG Kar Medical College.
“The shocking attack and intimidation of peaceful protesters who were only demanding justice for the brutal rape and murder of a doctor in Kolkata is despicable,” Patel said.
On Wednesday, coincidently on the eve of India’s Independence Day, hundreds of people stormed the medical facilities and attacked the protest site. The mob comprised 5,000 to 7,000 people, according to an official statement by Kolkata Police.
The police claimed that some of them carried the “symbol of a certain political party”, but did not identify the party.
“Several of our men were injured in the attack, some of them seriously. We have identified the miscreants who led the attack, and stringent action will be taken shortly,” the statement by police said.
On 9 August, a 31-year-old trainee doctor was gang-raped and murdered at the RG Kar Medical College. The events sparked a wave of protests across the country.
“The authorities have an obligation to facilitate the exercise of the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and to protect protesters from abuse, including from non-State actors, such as unwarranted interference or violence by other members of the public or counter-demonstrators,” Patel said in a statement.
“Leaving unaddressed these attempts to hinder the ability of the population to exercise their rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly will only increase the frustration and anger towards the authorities.”
Amnesty also urged the authorities to ensure that those responsible for the attack on peaceful protesters are held accountable and brought to justice in fair trials.
According to Amnesty, a protesting doctor, who witnessed the attacks, told them that police officers at the hospital were unable to stop the attacks and emergency phone calls by protesters for further backup went unanswered.
Meanwhile, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday urged the Central Bureau of Investigation, which is looking into the rape and murder case, to ensure capital punishment for the culprit by Sunday.
She added that the state government is following the directives of the Calcutta High Court and is cooperating with the CBI. She also urged striking doctors to resume duty.
“If it makes you happy, I touch your feet and request you to resume your duties to help people with medical assistance,” she said.
