Tensions flared in central Kolkata on Saturday as police resorted to a lathi-charge to disperse protesters during a march demanding justice in the RG Kar Medical College rape and murder case.
The demonstration, led by senior BJP leaders Suvendu Adhikari and Agnimitra Paul, coincided with the anniversary of the controversial incident and was aimed at marching to the West Bengal secretariat, Nabanna.
The rally, part of the ‘Nabanna Chalo Abhiyan’, saw protesters chanting slogans and vowing to reach the secretariat despite multiple police barricades. Participants carried the Tricolour, along with posters and banners demanding justice for the victim and the resignation of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
BJP Leaders Join Victim’s Parents in Protest
The parents of the deceased doctor appealed to citizens to join the march, while Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari urged BJP workers to participate without party flags. Adhikari, joined by a group of BJP MLAs, walked with the victim’s parents from Dorina Crossing in Esplanade, deliberately avoiding BJP symbols.
“The Mamata Banerjee administration is afraid of this massive crowd that has gathered to protest,” Adhikari remarked during the march.
Heavy Police Presence and Security Measures
Authorities deployed large contingents of police and Rapid Action Force (RAF) personnel at key points to block the agitators’ path. Water cannons were positioned, and drones were used for aerial surveillance of the protest.
Prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) were imposed in areas surrounding Nabanna. Multi-layer barricades were set up at several crossings in Kolkata and Howrah, with vehicular movement on the Howrah Bridge and Vidyasagar Setu halted.
The protest comes a year after the brutal rape and murder of an on-duty female doctor inside the state-run RG Kar hospital, a crime that sparked outrage across West Bengal.