The protestors sought Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's resignation over the alleged rape and murder of a 31-year-old trainee doctor at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata that took place earlier this month.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has called for a Bengal Bandh, a 12-hour strike today from 6 am to 6 pm, in response to the police action taken against student protestors during a protest march towards West Bengal secretariat Nabanna.
The protestors sought Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's resignation over the alleged rape and murder of a 31-year-old trainee doctor at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata that took place earlier this month.
Banerjee is also the state Health and Family Welfare Minister apart from being the Home Minister and CM of Bengal. Union Minister and BJP West Bengal president Sukanta Majumdar accused the state government of ignoring the pulse of the people and their demands for justice.
Meanwhile, BJP supporters stopped a train at the Hooghly railway station. Kolkata Police has arrested student leader Satyen Lahiri in Cooch Behar and has detained protesting BJP workers at Alipurduar. Government bus drivers in the state are wearing helmets for their safety.
Protests against Mamata Banerjee grip Bengal -- here's what you need to know
Nabanna Abhijan protest call given
The protest call was given by 'Pashchim Banga Chhatra Samaj', an unregistered student body, and a dissident state government employees' platform 'Sangrami Joutha Mancha'. They demanded Mamata Banerjee's resignation over the alleged rape and murder of a 31-year-old medic at the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9.
Nabanna protests turn violent
The protest march towards the West Bengal secretariat turned violent as protestors threw stones at the police and broke barricades at the Howrah Bridge. In return, the police resorted to using tear gas, water cannons and lathicharge to disperse the crowds as the scenes at Nabanna turned chaotic.
'Criminals in garb of police uniform': BJP attacks Kolkata Police
BJP leader and co-in-charge of West Bengal Amit Malviya on Tuesday said in a post on X that the Kolkata Police allegedly used hockey sticks to beat up protestors.
While sharing a video on X, he wrote: "When did professional police force start using hockey sticks? Is it part of police standard operating manual or are these criminals in the garb of police uniform? These instances are increasingly making Kolkata CP's position untenable."
He also urged the Supreme Court to hold Mamata Banerjee accountable for the gross abuse of state power and disproportionate use of force.
'Used water cannons mixed with chemicals': Agnimitra Paul on Kolkata Police
BJP leader Agnimitra Paul on Wednesday accused the Kolkata Police of using water cannons mixed with chemicals on the student protestors. Calling the police "spineless", she said that the cops have invalidated the Supreme Court's orders. The top court had directed the West Bengal government to not take any action against peaceful protestors.
She further said, "The police attacked unarmed protestors using stones and even resorted to lathicharge. I have pictures of the same. They used water cannons mixed with chemicals on the protestors. They are unable to provide safety to women of the state and when women protest, they use force to dispere them."
Sukanta Majumdar demands release of arrested students
"The police and Mamata Banerjee have unleashed violence on the student agitation. They have lathi-charged, used tear gas and used water cannons on the democratic, peaceful protest... Our demand is simple: the students who have been arrested by the police should be released," Majumdar said in a statement.
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