Junior doctors at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata have unveiled a statue to honor the memory of a 31-year-old postgraduate trainee doctor who was brutally raped and murdered at the hospital on August 9. The sculpture, titled Cry of the Hour, was created by renowned artist Asit Sain and symbolizes the pain and trauma experienced by the victim. It has been placed near the PGB Gardens in front of the building housing the principal’s office, as reported by The Indian Express.
The fibreglass sculpture, a bust of a woman screaming, is inscribed with the words “Abhaya,” signifying the victim’s suffering from the "hellish brutality" she endured. Junior doctors involved in the project expressed that the installation serves as a constant reminder of their colleague and their fight for justice. “It is an emotional moment for us,” one junior doctor told The Indian Express. “She was our colleague. We have been fighting for her. She is in our heart, but this installation will ensure no one ever forgets her.”
Another junior doctor, speaking to PTI, added: "This statue is not of the victim, but a symbol of pain, torture she went through and the ongoing protests."
However, the statue has sparked controversy online, with many criticizing it for being disrespectful and insensitive. Social media users condemned the decision to create a statue representing a rape victim’s pain, with one X user questioning, "The doctors of this country are so tone deaf. Why would you ever create a statue like this based on a rape victim?" Others echoed similar sentiments, with one person calling the statue “so weird and disrespectful,” and another remarking, “Indian women can’t even be remembered with pride. It’s either perpetually be in pain or be forgotten.”
Amid this backlash, the junior doctors have remained steadfast in their efforts to seek justice. On Wednesday, thousands of them participated in a protest march organized by the Bengal Junior Doctors' Front, demanding action from the government. The march began at College Street and ended in the Esplanade area, further intensifying their ongoing call for improved safety measures for healthcare workers in the aftermath of the tragic incident.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
New Delhi (PTI): A 16-year-old boy was stabbed to death at Ramleela ground in northwest Delhi for allegedly making social media comments that police described as "controversial", an official said on Wednesday.
According to the police, the assailants, also minors, attacked him with a knife, inflicting multiple stab wounds.
"A PCR call was received in the Shalimar Bagh Police Station regarding an injured boy lying in Ramleela ground. The police team reached the spot and found him with multiple stab wounds," a police officer said.
He was working as a labourer in a banquet hall for the last two days, the officer said. An FIR was registered and the police apprehended two juveniles in the case.
Preliminary investigation reveals that the deceased was stabbed due to an ongoing enmity, the officer said.
During questioning, the accused told the police that the victim had made "controversial comments" against them on social media. Following which, they intercepted him at Ramleela ground and stabbed him. He died on the spot, officer said.
"We have recovered a dagger and the victim's mobile phone. Further investigation in the case is underway," he added.