Tensions flared in Kolkata on Saturday when BJP-led demonstrators clashed with police during a Nabanna march marking the first anniversary of the RG Kar rape-and-murder case. The rally, organised to demand justice for the victim, descended into chaos when police stopped the procession near Park Street, prompting a lathicharge to disperse the crowd.
Led by Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari and MLA Agnimitra Pal, the protesters were marching towards Nabanna, the state secretariat, when they were intercepted. Police cited the absence of official permission for the rally as the reason for halting the march.
The situation escalated when protesters attempted to breach security barricades on Park Street. The ensuing confrontation left several injured, including the victim’s parents. The mother suffered a swollen forehead and was admitted to a private hospital near the EM Bypass.
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Adhikari and Pal then staged a sit-in on Park Street, declaring they would remain until directed by the victim’s parents. “We are unarmed. We were stopped as soon as we left our homes. Still, when we tried to move forward peacefully, the police used force. My wrists were broken,” alleged the victim’s father, blaming the state administration.
Clashes also erupted near Dorina Crossing and Rani Rashmoni Avenue at Esplanade, where the police again blocked the procession. An attempt by protesters to take a detour via Jawaharlal Nehru Road was similarly intercepted.
High drama followed when the victim’s parents claimed they had court permission to proceed. “The High Court has given us permission, so why are you stopping us? We are going peacefully. Let us go,” the father pleaded. With no response from police, both parents climbed the barricade near the Race Course area and refused to back down. The mother fell on the road during a confrontation with police.
Kolkata Police reported that several officers were injured during the clashes. A formal statement from the Commissioner’s office is awaited.
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