The Kolkata Police on Tuesday used batons, tear gas and water cannons to force protestors marching towards the West Bengal secretariat to disperse, PTI reported.
The protestors were demanding that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee resign on account of allegations that her government tried to cover up details about the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College.
The 31-year-old junior doctor and postgraduate student was found dead in the seminar hall of Kolkata’s state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9. The incident led to widespread protests across the country.
On August 13, the Calcutta High Court transferred the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation.
The agitation on Tuesday was being led by student group Paschim Banga Chhatra Samaj and the Sangrami Joutha Mancha, a platform that seeks to represents state government employees.
The march to the state secretariat began around 1 pm from different areas in Kolkata and Howrah, with protestors waving the national flag and shouting slogans against the state government.
At the Howrah Bridge, protestors climbed on top of police barricades and clashed with security personnel, ANI reported. At the Santragachi area, some agitators dragged away barricades that were placed on the route to the secretariat.
Some demonstrators at Santragachi allegedly threw bricks at the police, leaving several officials injured. The protestors, on their part, claimed that several students were injured in police action.
“Why were we beaten by police?” PTI quoted a woman who took part in the protestors as saying. “We did not break any laws. We are holding a peaceful rally to demand justice for the deceased doctor. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee should take responsibility and resign.”
Ahead of the march, West Bengal Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari claimed that four student activists who were distributing food to protestors arriving at the Howrah railway station suddenly went missing after midnight. He identified them as Subhojit Ghosh, Pulokesh Pandit, Goutam Senapati and Pritam Sarkar.
The West Bengal Police, however, denied that they were missing, and claimed instead that they were trying to orchestrate large-scale violence during the march. The police said all four student activists have been arrested.
The Bharatiya Janata Party called for a 12-hour general strike in West Bengal on Wednesday to protest the police action, PTI reported.
“We are forced to give the call for a general strike as this autocratic regime is turning a deaf ear to the voices of people, the demand for justice for the deceased doctor sister,” state BJP chief Sukanta Majumdar said. “Instead of justice, Mamata Banerjee’s police are turning on the peace-loving people of the state, who only wanted a safe and secure environment for women.”
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