Football fans staged protest near Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata against the alleged rape and murder of a trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. The Salt Lake Stadium was set to host India’s iconic derby between Mohun Bagan Super Giant and Emami East Bengal FC in the ongoing Durand Cup on Sunday. However, the first derby of the season was ‘abandoned’ due to security concerns amid massive protests over a trainee doctor’s alleged rape and murder incident that took place at RG Kar Medical College in Kolkata.
Football fans, who had gathered near Salt Lake Stadium to protest, were detained by the police on Sunday evening. Due to the ongoing widespread protests, a decision was made to shift the second quarter-final match of the Durand Cup from Kolkata to Shillong.
It is pertinent to note, Mohun Bagan Super Giant and Emami East Bengal FC are arch rivals, however, fans from both clubs came together to raise their voice against the rape and murder case that has jolted the nation.
A fan protesting outside the stadium said that they were protesting peacefully, but police started a lathi charge.
#WATCH | West Bengal: Police detains football fans protesting against the rape and murder of a woman resident doctor in RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.
(Visuals from Kolkata’s Salt Lake Stadium) pic.twitter.com/De1WJtccrp
ANI (@ANI) August 18, 2024
“Before Mohun Bagan and East Bengal, we are Indians. Atrocity has happened against Indian woman. We were protesting peacefully here. But the police started a lathi charge,” a protesting football supporter told ANI, who was present at Salt Lake Stadium.
“This is not a fight of Mohun Bagan and East Bengal. This is the entire India’s fight. Some people were arrested,” another fan said.
A supporter protesting near Salt Lake raised the question of why police turned up in numbers when the match was cancelled due to security reasons.
Another football supporter said, “Where did such a lot of police force come from? You had said there is no police force and will not be able to give police protection (for the match). Why did the police lathi charge?”
“We (East Bengal and Mohun Bagan supporters) have come together because of the RG Kar incident. The police had said that they would not be able to provide protection; therefore, the match was cancelled. Where did the police force come from now?” a fan said.
