Thousands of people marched in Calcutta on Monday to register their anger and raise their voice against the rape and murder of a junior doctor at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.

Doctors, students, homemakers, actors, artists, lawyers and many others joined the march demanding justice for the victim. There were more women than men in the march, not a very common sight in the city.

A first-year college student, who travels by train from Champahati in South 24-Parganas to Sovabazar six days a week, said she was “scared” for herself and her mother, a nurse who has to do night shifts.

Sunetra Pal, 19, takes a bus from Sovabazar to Sealdah and then boards a train for Champahati.

“I have to walk down from Champahati station to my house, sometimes past 9pm. If an incident like this can happen to a woman inside a hospital, how safe are we on the streets after sundown or even at other times?” she asked.

“I am also scared for my mother, who is a nurse and has to do night shifts, like this doctor who was raped and murdered,” said the student of journalism and mass communication.

The march started at Medical College Kolkata and ended at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, and passed through Central Avenue and RG Kar Road. Almost all participants walked the entire stretch.

The march started at 4pm and it was 7 when it reached RG Kar hospital. Many who were caught in traffic snarls because of the procession did not for once mind the delay.

“It is for a cause,” said a 45-year-old man, who was delayed by almost one-and-a-half hours to work.

Some bystanders joined the march midway, moved by the shouts of “We want justice” from the sea of people.

A third-year nursing student at the Calcutta National Medical College and Hospital, who is due to start her internship, said her parents were worried about her safety.

“My internship is going to start soon and I will have to report for night duty. My parents, who live in Murshidabad, are worried after this incident,” said Puja Biswas, one of the marchers.

In the procession were actor Kaushik Sen, wife Reshmi and son Riddhi.

“You don’t have to have a reason to participate in a march like this. There is something inside you that gives you a call,” said Kaushik.

Another rally, comprising mostly students, reached RG Kar from Presidency University. “We have to think about women’s safety. We should rise in rage against the system, authority and patriarchy,” said a student at Presidency.

Abhijit Chowdhury, a public health expert and founder member of the Liver Foundation, was among those who walked.

“There is a deep perception that there could be more than one person involved in this crime. There needs to be more clarity in what is being done to ensure justice...” he said.