The discovery of the 31-year-old doctor's bloodied body at a state-run hospital in the eastern city of Kolkata on August 9 has stoked nationwide anger at the chronic issue of violence against women.

Doctors' associations from government-run hospitals in many cities across India launched strikes that cut non-essential services.

Tens of thousands of ordinary Indians have joined protests, channelling anger not only at the chronic issue of violence against women, but also at the failure to provide secure working conditions for them.

An average of nearly 90 rapes a day were reported in 2022 in the country of 1.4 billion people.

Armed police on Thursday guarded the walls of the R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, where the doctor was murdered.

The murdered doctor was found in the teaching hospital's seminar hall, suggesting she had gone there for a break during a gruelling 36-hour-long shift.

One man, who worked at the hospital helping people navigate busy queues, has been detained.

Demonstrators have given the murdered doctor the nickname "Abhaya", meaning "fearless".