“We have launched campaigns for justice in cases like that of Jessica Lal and Priyadarshini Mattoo. This time it is for someone who was one of us. Soumya was a hard-working professional and a lovely person, who never hesitated to help when the need arose. It’s our turn now,” Kanwal said.

Vishwanathan, 25, was found dead in her car in Vasant Kunj area around 3.30 am on Tuesday while returning home from work. She was killed by a bullet in her head. While police are

investigating the case, they have no clues yet.

Radhika, a journalism teacher at the Kamla Nehru College, where Soumya studied, described her killing as ‘a sad reminder of the insecurity of our times’. “In the college, we ask young women to be fearless and honest journalists. Soumya was all that we wanted our students to be, yet look at what happened to her. This is a sad reminder of the insecurity in our lives,” Radhika said.

A petition demanding justice for Vishwanathan and safety for all, signed by all present, will be submitted to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Home Minister Shivraj Patil.

This apart, an online campaign and communities in social networking sites like Orkut and Facebook have been created to keep alive the crusade for justice.

Rajyalakshmi Rao, a senior journalist, said Soumya’s death was a signal for people to put the onus on employers and organisations to ensure safety of women employees. “While the state is accountable for the safety of its citizens, we should also put pressure on employers to take the responsibility for ensuring safety of women employees. There should be a mandatory cab service to drop employees home at night, especially women,” she said.