Massive ‘nabanna chalo’ protest over rg kar doctor’s murder, police baton-charge injures many
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On the first anniversary of the RG Kar doctor’s rape and murder, thousands marched to Nabanna demanding justice. Police baton-charged protestors as clashes broke out at key Kolkata points.
Kolkata: Police baton-charged protestors at Kolkata’s busy Park Street crossing on Saturday during a march towards the West Bengal Secretariat, Nabanna. The rally was organised to mark one year since the brutal rape and murder of an on-duty doctor at the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.
Tension rose when protestors tried to push through police barricades in their bid to reach Vidyasagar Setu. They ignored repeated police warnings to stay within the Rani Rashmoni Road assembly point.
Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, BJP leader Agnimitra Paul, and several BJP MLAs sat in protest at the Park Street–J L Nehru Road crossing.
They alleged that police action left more than 100 protestors, including Adhikari and other BJP leaders, injured. Adhikari also claimed that the victim’s parents suffered injuries during the lathi charge.
Adhikari warned,
“Mamata Banerjee will pay dearly for this. This protest is only going to get bigger from here,”
In another incident, some protestors taking part in the march reached Santragachi in Howrah district and tried to breach the iron barricades set up by city police.
As part of the ‘Nabanna Chalo Abhiyan’, protestors raised slogans demanding justice for the RG Kar victim and vowed to reach the state secretariat despite the police blockades.
“The police can fire upon us, but we are determined to reach ‘Nabanna’, where the state government must answer why justice has not been delivered to Abhaya (RG Kar victim) even after one year,”
a protestor was heard saying.
Even though police kept announcing through loudspeakers that protestors must follow the Calcutta High Court’s order to maintain law and order, many demonstrators climbed the 10-foot-high barricades to get across.
Some were seen using blunt tools to break the iron walls and make openings so they could cross over.
The rally saw protestors carrying the Indian Tricolour along with posters and banners demanding justice for the victim and the resignation of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
Police had deployed large forces, including the Rapid Action Force (RAF) and water cannons, at key points to stop the protestors from advancing.
The victim’s parents appealed to people to join the march to Nabanna. Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari asked BJP workers to participate without carrying party flags.
Adhikari, with a group of BJP MLAs, earlier joined the victim’s parents at Dorina Crossing in Esplanade, central Kolkata, without any BJP banners, flags, or symbols.
Adhikari said,
“The Mamata Banerjee administration is fearing this massive crowd which has gathered in protest,”
Large numbers of people gathered at both the assembly points in Howrah and Kolkata. However, state police prevented the protestors from getting close to the West Bengal Secretariat.
The victim’s father alleged,
“The police are not cooperating with us despite the high court permitting us to hold a peaceful protest rally,”
He added,
“The police tried to prevent people from reaching the assembly point by stopping their vehicles at various points en route,”
Click Here to Read Previous Reports on RG-Kar Hospital