The mother of the RG Kar victim on Saturday alleged that she was roughed up by women police personnel while on her way to join a march to West Bengal state secretariat 'Nabanna', called to mark one year of the rape and murder of her daughter in a state-run hospital.
The rally participants demanded the resignation of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for "failing to protect women".
Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, accompanied by a section of BJP MLAs, earlier in the day, joined the victim’s parents at the Dorina Crossing in Esplanade in central Kolkata without BJP’s banners, flags and other party insignia.
What Happened?
She claimed that in the scuffle, her 'shankha' (traditional conch shell bangle) was broken and she sustained a head injury.
"Why are they stopping us like this? All we want is to reach Nabanna and seek justice for my daughter," she said.
The RG Kar victim's father also alleged that the police tried to prevent the family from reaching Dorina Crossing to join the march, despite court permission for a peaceful rally.
Police baton-charged protesters at the Park Street crossing in central Kolkata as agitators tried to breach the barricades in their attempt to head towards the Vidyasagar Setu after ignoring police warnings not to move beyond the Rani Rashmoni Road assembly point.
Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, along with BJP leader Agnimitra Paul and other party MLAs held a sit-in at the Park Street-J L Nehru Road crossing, while alleging that more than 100 protesters, including Adhikari and other BJP leaders, were injured in police action.
Adhikari also claimed that the parents of the RG Kar victim were injured during the lathi charge.
Tight security arrangements were made along the route, with protesters scuffling with the police at Santragachi in Howrah district.
BJP Leaders Assaulted
Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari in a warning message said, “Mamata Banerjee will pay dearly for this. This protest is only going to get bigger from here."
A section of protestors taking part in a march reached Santragachi in Howrah district on Saturday and attempted to breach the iron wall barricades set up by the city police there.
As part of the 'Nabanna Chalo Abhiyan', the protestors raised slogans for justice for the RG Kar victim and voiced their resolve to reach the state secretariat, irrespective of the blockades put up by the police.
“The police can fire upon us, but we are determined to reach 'Nabanna', where the state government must answer why justice has not been delivered to Abhaya (RG Kar victim) even after one year,” a protestor was heard saying.
Amid constant alerts over loudspeakers by the police urging protestors to abide by the Calcutta High Court order to maintain law and order, demonstrators were seen scaling the 10-ft-high barricades in their attempts to breach them.
Some agitators were also seen using blunt instruments to break the iron walls and carve openings within them to ensure a cross over.
The protestors were seen carrying the Tricolour besides posters and banners demanding justice for the victim and the resignation of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
Massive police deployments, along with RAF personnel and even water cannons, have been made at all the strategic points where the progress of the agitators is to be halted.
The parents of the deceased doctor urged citizens to join the march to Nabanna, while Leader of Opposition in the assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, appealed to BJP workers to participate in the procession without any party flag.
Adhikari, accompanied by a section of BJP MLAs, earlier in the day, joined the victim’s parents at the Dorina Crossing in Esplanade in central Kolkata sans BJP’s banners, flags and other party insignia.
“The Mamata Banerjee administration is fearing this massive crowd which has gathered in protest,” Adhikari said.
Crowds were found swelling at both the assembly points in Howrah and Kolkata, with the state police not allowing the protestors to reach anywhere close to the West Bengal secretariat.
“The police are not cooperating with us despite the high court permitting us to hold a peaceful protest rally,” the father of the victim alleged.
“The police tried to prevent people from reaching the assembly point by stopping their vehicles at various points en route,” he added.
