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The streets of Kolkata witnessed chaotic scenes as police intercepted a protest march towards the state secretariat Nabanna, a demonstration sparked by the brutal rape and murder of a 31-year-old doctor at the city's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9th. Riot police employed tear gas shells and water cannons to disperse the protesters, who were attempting to reach the state secretariat. In response, some protesters hurled stones at the police officers, escalating the already tense situation.
The protest march, which had not been granted permission, was met with a formidable police presence. The ruling Trinamool Congress, fearing unrest and violence, alleged a conspiracy behind the rally. Kolkata Police, in anticipation of the protest, transformed Nabanna into a fortress, deploying 6,000 police personnel to prevent protesters from reaching the secretariat from any direction. Drones were deployed to monitor the protesters' movements, and barricades were welded into the ground and greased to hinder any attempts at scaling them.
The protesters, who had gathered at College Square and marched towards Nabanna, chanted slogans demanding the resignation of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in response to the horrific rape and murder case. Several student organizations and citizen forums joined the protest, their anger and frustration palpable as they shook the barricades in their path. The ruling Trinamool accused the BJP of instigating the protest, while the organizers maintained that it was a march planned by student organizations.
Adding fuel to the fire, the Leader of the Opposition in the Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, claimed that four student activists involved in the protest had disappeared after midnight. He accused the Mamata Police of arresting or detaining the students, raising concerns about their safety. The Bengal police responded by stating that the students were arrested due to their alleged involvement in a conspiracy of murder and attempted murder, planned to orchestrate large-scale violence during the march, and were detained in the interest of public safety. Mr. Adhikari then reported that the families of the four students had approached the Calcutta High Court.
One of the protest organizers, Shubankar Halder, clarified that while he had previously been a member of the ABVP, he was no longer affiliated with the organization and considered the protest to be apolitical. The Trinamool, however, labelled the march an attempt to create chaos under the guise of a student protest. State minister Chandrima Bhattacharya accused the BJP and ABVP of plotting to create disturbance and even alleged a plan to open fire by criminals posing as police officers. She questioned the ability of students to organize such a protest, accusing them of engaging in 'vulture politics'.
In an attempt to strengthen their claim of a deliberate attempt to create unrest, the Trinamool released two videos, the authenticity of which was not verified by NDTV. In the videos, several men could be heard saying, 'we need bodies'. Trinamool leader Jayprakash Majumdar alleged that the BJP leadership had been told that unless a Nandigram-type incident happened, resulting in casualties, the tide would not turn in their favor. The incident highlights the deep political divide in West Bengal and the increasingly volatile situation surrounding the protest against the horrific crime that ignited the public outcry.
Source: Water Cannons, Tear Gas As Kolkata Protesters Clash With Cops Before March