Cops Clash With RG Kar Protesters in Kolkata; Victim’s Mother Alleges Assault
The heart of Kolkata erupted in chaos on Saturday as police clashed with protesters, including the parents of a young doctor who was raped and murdered last year, during a march to the state secretariat, Nabanna. The rally descended into turmoil when demonstrators attempted to breach police barricades, leading to a lathi charge and a poignant allegation from the victim’s mother that she was assaulted and her bangles were broken by police personnel.
The protest, which included several BJP leaders such as Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, was met with a heavy police response. Adhikari claimed that BJP MLAs were baton-charged and that the slain doctor’s parents were injured in the police action. The victim’s mother made a desperate plea amidst the turmoil, stating, “Mamata Banerjee’s police roughed me up without provocation, broke my bangles.
Why are they stopping us? All we want is to reach the secretariat, ask for justice for my daughter.” Visuals from the scene showed the parents pleading with officers from behind barricades for passage to Nabanna. After being halted, Adhikari, along with BJP leader Agnimitra Paul and other MLAs, staged a sit-in at the busy Park Street-J L Nehru Road crossing, reiterating his demand that “Mamata should go.”
The confrontation escalated when the rally deviated from its designated site towards Park Street. Tensions flared further with inflammatory remarks from BJP leader and former cricketer Ashok Dinda, who said, “That day is not far when we will have to beat up the police as well.
They will be thoroughly thrashed.” Protesters, including BJP MLA Agnimitra Paul, were seen climbing and attempting to dismantle barricades, prompting police to deploy water cannons. A separate contingent of protesters in Santragachi, Howrah, also tried to breach 10-foot-high iron barricades, using blunt tools to break through the security cordon despite police warnings.
The protest is rooted in the brutal rape and murder of a 31-year-old trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in August 2024. In January, a CBI court convicted Sanjay Roy, a civic volunteer, for the crime. The case, which was transferred to the CBI by the Calcutta High Court following widespread public anger, had previously led to the resignation of the college principal and drew severe criticism against the state government.
Protesters on Saturday carried the national flag and banners demanding justice and the resignation of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, with another march planned from Hazra crossing to her residence in Kalighat. Authorities had imposed prohibitory orders and heavy traffic restrictions across the city, including closing the Howrah Bridge, to manage the demonstration.
