Activists hold placards and light candles as they protest at Carter Road, Bandra, to demand justice for the Hathras gangrape victim, on Thursday. Pic/ Shadab Khan
Engraged by the gangrape and death of a 19-year-old Dalit woman in Hathras, Uttar Pradesh, several Mumbaikars took to the streets demanding justice for her. The city is witnessing a series of protests, with more people joining in against the gruesome crime, on Thursday at Carter Road.
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The first demonstration was held on Wednesday when several citizens and activist groups called for an impromptu candlelight protest at Dadar's Chaityabhoomi at 8.30 pm. A candlelight protest was held on Thursday as well, at the Carter Road amphitheatre at 7 pm
Close to 150 people took part in Thursday's protest organised by activists' group Hum Bharat Ke Log. Activists Feroze Mithiborwala and Teesta Setalvad addressed protesters.
Two more gatherings are planned for Friday. One will be organised by Hum Bharat Ke Log opposite the Mahatma Gandhi statue at Mantralaya, Churchgate, at 11 am. Another will be held at the IIT-Bombay main gate in Powai at 4.30 pm.
Akshay Tarfe, a communications professional who attended the Dadar protest, said, "The primary reason for the protest was to demand justice for Dalit women who are subjected to caste-based violence every day. We were particularly angry about the failure of UP government and the state police to provide justice.
Chaityabhoomi is a symbol of Dalit resistance and assertion against Manuwadi forces and hence, we decided to gather there." Around 100 people participated in the Dadar protest and some 10-15 police personnel were present too.
The Dalit woman was gang raped and assaulted allegedly by four upper caste men in Hathras on September 14 and she died earlier this week while undergoing treatment at Delhi's Safdarjung Hospital.
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