India's Night Protests: Women's Fight for Safety

Hundreds of thousands of women in India held night marches in response to the brutal rape and murder of a young female doctor, highlighting the ongoing lack of safety for women despite stringent laws. The incident has triggered nationwide unrest and calls for justice and improved security measures.

Hundreds of thousands of women holding candles marched through cities across India to protest the brutal rape and murder of a young female doctor. This tragedy, occurring in a Kolkata hospital, has ignited nationwide anger over women's safety despite stringent new laws.

A 31-year-old trainee doctor was raped and murdered after a marathon 36-hour shift, leading to massive protests among doctors and drawing parallels to the infamous 2012 New Delhi bus gang rape. The victim's death has sparked demands for justice and better security measures for women.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi acknowledged the nationwide outrage during his Independence Day speech, calling for societal reflection on violence against women. Actress Alia Bhatt and other public figures amplified these calls, while data from the National Crime Records Bureau showed a 4% rise in crimes against women in 2022.

(With inputs from agencies.)