Lathicharge and Water Cannon Used Against Protesters In Kolkata During 'March to Nabanna'

Kolkata: Kolkata Police on Tuesday resorted to lathi charge, water canns, and tear gas to disperse protesters at Howrah Bridge and near Santragachhi Railway Station on Kona Expressway. demonstrators were attempting to breach police barricades to reach state secretariat, Nabanna, to demand resignation of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over rape-murder case of a doctor at RG Kar Medical College.

situation intensified when protesters, including members of student organisation 'Paschim Banga Chhatra Samaj' and dissident state government employees' platform 'Sangrami Joutha Mancha', clashed with police. At Santragachhi, some agitators threw bricks at officers, injuring several. Protesters claimed that police action also resulted in injuries to several students.

Police reported that y began lathi charging and using tear gas after agitators mand to breach barricades at various points and attacked security personnel.

rally, part of 'Nabanna Abhijan', started from College Square in rth Kolkata and Santragachi in Howrah. Protesters are demanding Chief Minister’s resignation and arrest of those responsible for crime, accusing her of failing to ensure women's safety, which y believe led to RG Kar incident that has caused nationwide outr.

One marcher said, “We will reach Nabanna matter what. We must get to state secretariat to demand resignation of Chief Minister, whose administration has been trying to shield perpetrators of this heius crime and suppress incident. We want to hear from her.”

procession from College Square was intended to cross Howrah Bridge to reach Nabanna, while Santragachi group planned to proceed towards state secretariat via Sibpur. In response, police set up barricades and enforced prohibitory orders in area.

Chhatrasamaj spokesperson Sayan Lahiri highlighted peaceful nature of rally: “Despite provocations, we intend to keep this a peaceful, democratic movement against horrific crime committed against our sister at RG Kar hospital. We demand justice for her and her family. call for justice by people of Bengal and country must be ackwledged by Mamata Banerjee government.”