AIFF Chief Condemns Cancelation of East Bengal vs Mohun Bagan Derby Following Kolkata Rape-Murder Protest

In a heartening display of unity, fans of East Bengal and Mohun Bagan came together near the Salt Lake Stadium to protest against the tragic incident of alleged rape and murder of a doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. Despite their fierce rivalry on the football field, the supporters stood shoulder to shoulder in solidarity with the victim and her family. The protest took place amidst the ongoing demonstrations in Kolkata, leading to the cancellation of the highly anticipated derby match between the two clubs on Saturday. All India Football Association (AIFF) chief Kalyan Chaubey also joined the demonstrators outside the iconic Salt Lake Stadium, lending his voice to the calls for justice and harsher penalties for perpetrators of such heinous crimes.

Protests have been rampant in Kolkata over the past week or so over the alleged rape and murder of a woman doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.

In order to avoid a similar situation inside the stadium, the Kolkata derby between East Bengal and Mohun Bagan was cancelled on Saturday.

Reports had also claimed that the Durand Cup organisers were also considering to shift the match outside Kolkata, with Jamshedpur leading the race to host the match.

Chaubey, however, criticised the decision to cancel the match, and was also not in favour to shift the matches outside Kolkata.

"The first derby match of the season between East Bengal and Mohun Bagan was scheduled to be held today and the number of police personnel that has been deployed here to stop this match and to arrest the supporters who had come to watch the match, if even half of them were deployed then this match would have taken place today. East Bengal, Mohun Bagan matches should be held here," Chaubey told the reporters during the protest.

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Chaubey also demanded that the cluprit(s) behind the alleged rape and murder of the woman doctor must be punished.

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"I believe that football is not involved in any politics, it is above all religion, caste. I am fully confident that if you organize the match here, there will be no ruckus, no unrest in the football ground, I am fully confident that all the people will support their teams peacefully but the match should not be shifted from here...The people of football also want that the culprit should be caught as soon as possible and the culprit should be punished," he added.