The candle kept burning for Rizwan through a rainy Monday as Calcuttans stepped up to register their protest outside St Xavier’s College. Hilda Peacock, the principal of La Martiniere for Girls, who volunteered for a two-hour vigil, said: “I pray that this silent movement brings the guilty to book and Rizwanur’s family gets justice.” Picture by Pradip Sanyal

It was a little after 10 at night when we arrived at the St Xavier’s College gates. The streetlights were off and the few flickering candles threw a bright ring of light on Rizwanur Rahman’s picture, propped up on a small table. This is going to be a long night, we thought, as we received the signature register and the stock of candles from the volunteer manning the previous ‘shift’.

Just as he was leaving, he gave us our first surprise: “Have you had dinner… or can I get you something?” he — a total stranger — asked.

Over the next two hours of the candle-light vigil for Rizwanur, Calcutta showed us its true spirit. Here’s a partial collage of what we saw between 10 and midnight on Park Street:

A young woman, alone, gets off a scooter, walks up to us, very businesslike, takes her shoes off before she lights a candle, signs the register showing her support and goes off— this is at about 10.15pm.

Vivek Agarwal, aged 10, arrives with his father, finds a spot on the banner crowded with signatures and puts his name down, while father beams encouragingly. “See, he’s tall for his age… and he knows what he’s doing.”

A young couple with a little girl arrive. They smile and refuse the candle they are offered because they have brought their own — a dozen coloured ones. They patiently stick each one onto the pavement and it’s only when they’ve left that we realise they have formed the letter ‘R’ with the candles.

And then come three motorbikes, each with a couple. The women get off, sign and stand around, talking about what this means to them. “We just want to show that they can’t do this and get away. We will be watching what happens.” We signal to the men on the bikes. They drop their machismo and come and sign.

Many insist that they make a financial contribution — “that’s the least we can do”. They are told the best contribution they can make would be to join the vigil. And to bring some candles.

They say that a city is what its streets are. That little spot outside St Xavier’s spoke loud and clear what Calcutta is — inclusive, empathetic, defiant and united by a cause.

With those flickering candles opposite Park Street police station, Calcutta has drawn a line.

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(This account has been penned by two members of PUBLIC, the NGO. To volunteer for the candle-light vigil, you can call 9874304494 or e-mail justizforriz@gmail.com)