Kolkata : Protesting the murder of a junior doctor in a medical college, the siege of the secretariat by student unions in West Bengal on Tuesday led to intense tension.
A clash broke out when the police stopped the protestors who tried to advance by pushing the barricades at the secretariat. The police resorted to baton charge to disperse the protesters who attacked with stones and bricks. Air balloons and water cannons were launched. Several protestors and police were injured in the clashes that broke out at Santragachi and Howda grounds near MG Road, Hastings Road and Princep Ghat in Kolkata. Police detained more than 200 protesters.
Secretariat in Police Protection Circle
Demanding the resignation of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the ‘Paschim Banga Chhatra Samaj’ and the dissident platform of the state government employees ‘Sangrami Joutha Mancha’ have separately started a rally from several places including Howhda. Kolkata Police has deployed heavy security personnel around the Secretariat to prevent any untoward incident. Barricades were set up everywhere. The state government has announced holiday for schools in advance.
The BJP on Wednesday called for a 12-hour bandh in West Bengal to protest the police’s treatment of protesters who took part in the ‘Sachiwalaya Muttadi’ programme. BJP state leaders have demanded Mamata’s resignation and police commissioner Vineet Goyal to undergo a truth-seeking test if there is to be an impartial investigation into the murder case.