KOLKATA: In the most recent protest in response to the savage rape and death of a female trainee doctor, thousands of demonstrators on Wednesday blocked rail tracks, stopped buses, and yelled slogans in the Indian state of West Bengal.
The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the eastern state announced a 12-hour state-wide protest strike on Tuesday after police used water cannons and tear gas to break up a march.
The majority of the demonstrators on Wednesday were BJP employees, who also forced the closure of businesses as authorities prepared for more unrest. According to a police official, 5,000 officers had been sent in to put an end to any violence.
Thousands of medical professionals marched through the state capital, many of them on strike since the August 9 crime was made public.
