Kolkata: Student and labour organizations are taking out a rally on Tuesday in protest against the rape-murder of a trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College in Kolkata on 8-9 August. West Bengal Student Society and Sangrami Jautha Manch, which are taking out the ‘Nabanna Abhijan’ March, have demanded the resignation of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
Nabanna is the secretariat of the West Bengal government, where the Chief Minister, ministers, and officers sit. The rally of the protesters started at around 12:45 pm. The protesters broke the barricade at Santragachhi near Howrah. After this, the police used lathicharge and water cannon. Tear gas shells were also fired on the student protestors.
Dozens of protesters are reported to have been injured in the police action. Citing violence, the police have called the rally illegal. Ruling TMC on the other hand has called the rally as a possible chance for miscreants to incite violence in between the protest.
A force of 6 thousand has been deployed in three layers on 7 routes to prevent the protesters from going to Nabanna. Barricading has been done at 19 points and DCPs have been deployed at 21 points. Howrah Bridge has been closed. Drones are being used for surveillance.
Section 163 of BNS (Section 144 of CrPC) has been imposed near the state secretariat Nabanna. No more than 5 people will gather here at a time. Apart from this, heavy containers have also been placed on the roads through cranes, so that the protesters cannot move forward.