'This fight is not just for Bengal, but for entire country'

Keeping their bitter rivalry aside, and braving relentless downpour, thousand of fans of Kolkata's 'Big Three' football clubs -- Mohun Bagan, East Bengal and Mohammedan Sporting -- came together to protest against the alleged rape and murder of a doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, in Kolkata on Sunday.

Unprecedented scenes were witnessed outside the Salt Lake Stadium as India defender and Mohun Bagan captain Subhasish Bose, accompanied by his wife Kasturi Chhetri, and All India Football Federation president Kalyan Chaubey joined the protest march, "demanding justice" for the RG Kar victim.

'The RG Kar incident was absolutely horrific and mind numbing, but the details coming out along with the authorities’ attempts to hide the truth and silence the people is beyond shocking,' he tweeted with pictures from the protest, late Sunday night.

"I've come here as a commoner. Justice is needed to ensure that this incident is never repeated. The culprits should receive proper punishment. We will continue our protests until justice is served," Bose told PTI.

"For the first time, fans of Mohun Bagan, East Bengal, and Mohammedan Sporting have come together to fight for justice. I am grateful to everyone. This fight is not just for Bengal, but for the entire country."

Bose continued: "Together, we will fight so that no one dares to commit such a heinous act again. I'm a footballer, and the ground means everything to me. But if our mothers and sisters don't feel safe in our state or country, there is nothing more important than addressing that.

"We all have to come together and fight for their safety. We must protect them and show them respect. I'm here as a common person, without any political affiliation."

Asked about his feeling on the cancellation of Durand Cup derby match against East Bengal earlier scheduled to be played on Sunday, he said: "No one would have been happier than me if the match had taken place. I always want to play in as many derbies as I can. But this was the government's decision, and they felt it was necessary.

"However, the bigger cause is justice for RG Kar, and I will always stand for that," he said.

The fans started assembling around 4pm in front of the VIP Gate of the Saltlake Staidum where the Durand Cup derby match between Mohun Bagan and East Bengal was scheduled but only to be called off by the administration, fearing security concerns.

But the fans kept their date with the 'derby' and were also joined by the supporters of the city's other century-old club -- Mohammedan Sporting.

Never before in the history of Kolkata Maidan, the fans of the three rival clubs were seen together fighting for a common cause as they were also seen held up and put inside a lock-up van by the police.

An East Bengal supporter with the red and gold was seen sitting on the shoulders of a Mohun Bagan fan, passionately clapping and shouting slogans, aptly summing up the mood.

AIFF chief and former India goalkeeper Chaubey, who is also a BJP politician, strongly condemned the Trinamool Congress-led state administration.

"It feels some kind of a riot is going on here. It's very shameful and it's a complete failure of law and order in West Bengal that a football match could not happen here," Chaubey said.

"If half of the police force that is deployed to arrest the fans and stop the protest was there at the stadium, the match would have happened peacefully. Why should our teams go out to other places -- Jamshedpur, Shillong -- to play football? This is the Mecca of Indian football, and football should happen here.

"Football is beyond politics, religion or any colour. The match should not have been cancelled. If the fans are arrested, it's a shame for the state's law and order," he added.

Chaubey was also seen standing with the supporters and pleaded in front of the police van not to arrest any fan, who were later seen to be released.

"Before Mohun Bagan and East Bengal, we are Indians. Atrocity has happened against Indian woman. We were protesting peacefully here. But the police started a lathi charge," a protesting football supporter, who was present at Salt Lake Stadium, told ANI.

"This is not a fight of Mohun Bagan and East Bengal. This is the entire India's fight. Some people were arrested," one fan said.

A supporter protesting near Salt Lake raised the question of why police turned up in numbers when the match was cancelled due to security reasons.

Another football supporter said, "Where did such a lot of police force come from? You had said there is no police force and will not be able to give police protection (for the match). Why did the police lathi charge?"

"We (East Bengal and Mohun Bagan supporters) have come together because of the RG Kar incident. The police had said that they would not be able to provide protection; therefore, the match was cancelled. Where did the police force come from now?" a fan said.

The quarter-final fixtures of the 133rd Durand Cup was announced on Sunday with the city hosting Bengaluru FC versus Kerala Blasters match of the tournament.

East Bengal will play their quarterfinal match in Shillong, while holders Mohun Bagan will play Punjab FC in Jamshedpur. It remains to be seen if the semifinals and the summit clash scheduled on August 31 at the Saltlake Stadium are held.

Mohun Bagan and East Bengal are in the opposite end of the draw and could head for a potential derby final.

The postgraduate trainee doctor was allegedly raped and murdered while on duty at the RG Kar MCH on August 9.