Tension Escalates in Kolkata Ahead of Planned Protest Demanding Chief Minister’s Resignation

Amid rising tensions in Kolkata, the Paschimbanga Chhatro Samaj, a student organization, has called for a ‘March to Nabanna’ on Tuesday, August 27, 2024. This march is organized in response to the recent alleged rape and murder of a 31-year-old woman trainee doctor at R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital, sparking public outrage.

The Kolkata Police have denied permission for the protest, citing concerns over potential violence during the rally, which is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. Major roads leading to the state secretariat have been barricaded, and thousands of police officers are deployed across the city in anticipation of the event.

While the Paschimbanga Chhatro Samaj has insisted that the rally will be peaceful, Additional Commissioner of Police Supratim Sarkar stated that it was deemed unauthorized. The student organization emphasized that the protest aims to demand the resignation of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and the arrest of those responsible for the crime.

The planned demonstration has also drawn support from the unregistered Paschim Banga Chhatra Samaj and the Sangrami Joutha Mancha, which represents state government employees advocating for their dearness allowance to match that of central government employees. In contrast, the West Bengal Police have labeled the rally as ‘illegal’ and have implemented prohibitory orders to prevent gatherings near Nabanna.

Safety measures include barricading seven locations within Kolkata and Howrah, deploying riot-control vehicles, water cannons, and drones to manage the situation. Authorities are concerned about possible attempts by miscreants to incite violence among protestors.

The incident that triggered this outrage was the brutal rape and murder of a trainee doctor at R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital, which sent shockwaves across the nation and led to widespread protests demanding justice.