One year on, protesters demand justice for RG Kar victim; police baton-charge

Police baton-charged protesters at the Park Street crossing in Kolkata on Saturday (August 9) as they tried to march towards the West Bengal State Secretariat in Nabanna building to mark the completion of one year of the rape and murder of an on-duty doctor inside the state-run RG Kar hospital that sparked nationwide outrage.

Protesters tried to breach barricades

The situation started to escalate when protesters tried to breach the barricades by either climbing over them or trying to push them down, despite the police warning them not to move beyond the Assembly point at the Rani Rashmoni Road in Central Kolkata.

After being stopped by police from going any further, Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, alongside BJP leader Agnimitra Paul and other BJP MLAs, held a sit-in demonstration at the Street-JL Nehru Road crossing. The BJP leaders alleged that over 100 protesters were injured in police action.

Watch: One year after RG Kar tragedy: Promises broken, justice denied and fear still lingers

‘BJP warns Mamata’

Speaking to reporters, Adhikari further alleged that the parents of the RG Kar victim also suffered injuries due to the baton-charge. He warned Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee that the protest would start to become bigger, adding that she was afraid of the massive gathering.

“Mamata Banerjee will pay dearly for this. This protest is only going to get bigger from here,” said Adhikari, as quoted by PTI.

A section of protesters, as part of the 'Nabanna Chalo Abhijan', reached Santragachi in Howrah district on Saturday and tried to breach the iron barricade set up by the police.

Also Read: RG Kar, law college, Sandeshkhali: Bengal’s chilling nexus of crime and politics

‘Protesters demand CM’s resignation’

Amid loudspeakers baring with police’s warning reminding the protestors to abide by the Calcutta High Court order to maintain law and order, a section of them tried to scale the 10-foot-high barricades in their attempts to breach them.

A section of protesters also tried to break open the iron barricades with blunt instruments in a bid to breach them. The protestors were seen carrying the Tricolour besides posters and banners demanding justice for the victim and the resignation of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

Also Read: Kolkata college gangrape: Police reconstruct crime scene with accused

Victim’s mother injured

According to media reports, the parents of the victims also took part in the protests, and the procession they were part of was stopped by police near the Kolkata Race Course. They got involved in an argument with the police, asking the officials on the spot why they were stopping them despite the fact that the Calcutta High Court had given permission for a peaceful protest.

The reports further stated that the victim’s mother has alleged that she was handled by police, adding that her head was bruised due to a blow from a police baton. 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 as quoted by PTI.

Earlier in the day, 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 the BJP’s banners, flags and other party insignia.

“The Mamata Banerjee administration is fearing this massive crowd which has gathered in protest,” Adhikari said.

(With agency inputs)