In Pics: Midnight Protests Across India Over Kolkata Hospital Horror

Hundreds of women from across the country have taken to the streets to protest against the horrific rape and murder of a 31-year-old doctor at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. Several women in Kolkata, Delhi and other cities are holding candlelight vigil and peaceful rallies, demanding justice for the victim.

The protest which began at 11.55 pm has been described as, "For women's independence on the midnight of independence".

In the national capital, women were seen holding placards reading "Women, Reclaim the Night" and "Save the victim, not the rapists".

Similar scenes were witnessed in Mumbai and Hyderabad where residents were seen holding a peaceful candle light demonstration. 

According to reports in Bengali media, researcher Rimjhim Sinha was the first to give a call for 'reclaim the night' protest in the wake of the RG Kar incident.

The brutal rape-murder of the trainee doctor at the hospital premises has shaken the nation to the core and has triggered massive outrage, both online and offline. 

Many people also took to social media to post about the protests happening in many parts of the country. 

Kolkata Doctor Rape-Murder

The woman doctor's semi-naked body was found in the seminar hall of the government-run PG Kar Medical College on Friday morning. A civic volunteer with the Kolkata Police was arrested in this connection on Saturday.

The trainee doctor's post-mortem report indicated that the accused had hit her so hard that the glasses of her spectacles shattered, shards piercing her eyes. He sexually assaulted her and then killed her by smothering her, said the report that estimates the time of death between 3 am and 5 am on Friday.

More chilling details have emerged in the horrific rape-murder today with her parents claiming that their daughter was gang-raped. The petition said that the autopsy found 150 mg of semen in the victim's body, "a quantity suggesting involvement of more than one individual, further corroborated the suspicion of gang rape".

The parents of the woman in their petition said that the postmortem report had unequivocally stated that the cause of death was strangulation of the neck and that there are clear signs of sexual assault.

Several portions of the victim's head showed signs of trauma. "Both ears exhibited signs of injury, suggesting a violent struggle. Her lips were injured, indicating that she may have been silenced or gagged during the attack," the petition added.

It also said bite marks were found on her neck, underlining the severity of the assault.

The petition said that the autopsy found 150 mg of semen in the victim's body, "a quantity suggesting involvement of more than one individual, further corroborated the suspicion of gang rape".

Before the case was transferred to CBI, state police had arrested Sanjoy Roy, a civic volunteer who frequented the hospital.