Put Aside Rivality, Supporters Of United Indian Football Club Protests Rape And Murder Of Doctors

UNSPLASH/Mulyadi ILLUSTRATION

JAKARTA - Supporters of Indian football clubs East Bengal and Mohun Bagan ruled out their rivalry and united in protesting the rape and murder of a training-student doctor at the Kolkata hospital.

The Durand Cup match between a century old clubs from the eastern city of Kolkata was canceled on Sunday, August 18, amid security concerns.

But fans gathered near Salt Lake Stadium to demand justice for 31-year-old doctors, who died this month in RG Kar Hospital, sparking protests across the country by doctors.

Fans of the two clubs often clashed over the heated Derby Kolkata game, but Secretary General Mohun Bagan Debashis Dutta said he was not surprised by the unity seen.

"They represent the community. It happened like this sad for all of us and we all want a quick solution," Dutta said.

Several supporters were injured when police dispersed the crowd on Sunday.

Arundhati Biswas, a supporter of East Bengal, suffered minor injuries during the protests but was shocked by the friendship between competing groups.

"I never thought I would see sworn enemies unite like this," Biswas told Reuters.

He said several other fans of the local team, Mohammedan Sporting, also joined the two groups.

Subrata Ray, one of Mohun Bagan's fans who was arrested and taken to police headquarters in Lalbazar, said the protesters did not commit violence or vandalism.

"We protested peacefully," Ray said, saying they were released at night after the head of Indian football federation Kalyan Chaubey intervened.