In the wake of a tragic rape-murder case that has sent shockwaves across West Bengal, the state government is set to introduce a new anti-rape bill during a special session of the Bengal Assembly today. The proposed legislation aims to strengthen legal measures and ensure swifter justice for victims of sexual violence in the state.

Junior doctors persisted in their protests outside police headquarters in Kolkata's Lalbazar area on August 14, demanding the resignation of Chief of Police Vineet Goyal for his failure to take action against mob violence at the RG Kar hospital. In addition, doctors held signs calling for the death penalty to be applied to those responsible for the August 9 rape and killing of an attending doctor at the RG Kar hospital.

The news that Sandip Ghosh, the former principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital and another person implicated in this case, had been detained by the CBI over financial irregularities in the institution's affairs was met with joyful cheers from the protest group.

In the meantime, senior Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee urged all political parties to show respect for the doctors' and other civil society members' nonviolent protest. He claimed that in a democracy, everyone had the right to speak out and that West Bengal was unique among BJP-ruled states in having this capacity.