The West Bengal Police on Tuesday thwarted a protest march called ‘Nabanna Abhijan’, organized by the student outfit Paschimbanga Chhatra Samaj, demanding the resignation of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in connection with the rape and murder case at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.
Labeling the march as "illegal," the police claimed they had intelligence suggesting that miscreants intended to cause trouble during the protest.
Manoj Kumar Verma, ADG (Law & Order) and IGP, stated, "This programme is illegal. No organisation has sought permission from us. Legally, the procedure has not been followed." Despite this, representatives of the student body asserted that they had notified the police about their planned march via email.
Verma further revealed that police had received information about a large group of miscreants with vested interests planning to infiltrate the protest and cause unrest. Additionally, he pointed out that an important examination organised by the National Testing Agency (NTA) was scheduled for the same day, and many students would be appearing for it.
The Kolkata Police, anticipating potential violence, put in place extensive security measures across the city. The ‘Nabanna Abhijan’ march, intended to reach the state secretariat 'Nabanna,' was called by an unregistered body claiming to be a students' organisation. The protest was primarily to seek justice for the rape and murder of a 31-year-old doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College on August 9.
Police sources disclosed that they had uncovered evidence of a conspiracy aimed at exploiting the anger of well-meaning citizens to create chaos and anarchy in West Bengal.
By early afternoon, the protest march began from different parts of Howrah and Kolkata, with demonstrators waving the Indian flag and chanting slogans against the state government. The first clashes occurred at Santragachi in Howrah, where protesters reportedly broke through a police barricade, prompting officers to use batons. Tear gas shells and water cannons were deployed as protesters retaliated by pelting stones at the police near Santragachi railway station.
Further clashes erupted on Foreshore Road in Howrah, where protesters clashed with police forces who once again resorted to baton charges. On the Kolkata side, near Hastings on the approach to the Vidyasagar Setu, also known as the Second Hooghly Bridge, protesters attempted to breach the barricades but were unsuccessful. They continued to chant anti-government slogans, demanding the resignation of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
The police, determined to prevent the protesters from reaching Nabanna, employed tear gas shells and water cannons to disperse the crowd, bringing the situation under control.