Chaos and violent agitation dominated the streets of Kolkata and adjacent Howrah on Saturday, a day that marked the completion of one year of the rape and murder of a postgraduate trainee doctor at the state-run RG Kar hospital, and left the mother of the victim hospitalised with a head injury
Pic/PTI
The Kolkata Police have registered seven cases against two BJP MLAs, a party leader and others for allegedly obstructing its personnel from performing their duties, assaulting them and causing damage to public properties during a march to the West Bengal secretariat 'Nabanna' a day ago, a senior officer said on Sunday.
BJP legislators Ashok Dinda, Agnimtra Paul and party leader Kaustav Bagchi and others have been booked under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, he said. Chaos and violent agitation dominated the streets of Kolkata and adjacent Howrah on Saturday, a day that marked the completion of one year of the rape and murder of a postgraduate trainee doctor at the state-run RG Kar hospital, and left the mother of the victim hospitalised with a head injury.
On the allegation of the mother of the deceased doctor that she was beaten up by police during Saturday's protest, Kolkata Police Commissioner Manoj Verma said, "It is part of the investigation, and we will probe into the matter. We will take action as required. The injury to the mother of the RG Kar Medical College crime victim is regrettable. This should not have happened. Whether the allegation is correct or incorrect needs to be probed."
The mother of the RG Kar victim alleged that she was roughed up by the police during the march, an assault that allegedly took place when Kolkata Police baton-charged protesters at the Park Street crossing in central Kolkata to disperse the crowd on Saturday. "Two BJP MLAs, a BJP leader and several others were booked for obstructing police operations, assaulting officers, and causing damage to public properties during Saturday's 'Nabanna Abhiyan'," another officer said.
The cases, lodged at the Park Street Police Station and Hare Street Police Station, also included non-bailable sections, he said. However, the police are yet to confirm the number of arrests made during Saturday's rally. During the day, the Kolkata police commissioner visited the SSKM Hospital, where five policemen, who were injured in a face-off with protesters during Saturday's 'Nabanna Abhiyan', are undergoing treatment..
"CCTV footage, other video clips, and footage from drone surveillance are being scanned. We will not be able to say anything until we're analysing the footage. Those who violated the Calcutta High Court's directives, obstructed police operations, assaulted officers and damaged public property are being identified," Verma said.
He said that "any complaint received would be probed". "Even if we do not receive any complaint, we would investigate. In fact, we have already started investigating yesterday's matter," he said. Video footage of Dinda threatening and abusing police officers has been seized, he said.
"Days are not far when the police will also be beaten up badly. If our party leadership gives a go-ahead, we will beat up the police personnel in such a manner that they will have to hide behind the 'achal' (loose end of a saree) of Mamata Banerjee. We were rallying peacefully when the police lathi-charged us without any reason. I am an MLA and I am saying this," Dinda, who participated in the 'Nabanna Abhiyan' said on Saturday.
Asked what could be the action against those allegedly trampling the national flag during the march, Verma said, "Allegations regarding police personnel trampling the national flag are also under investigation. We are checking the CCTV footage..
The police-protesters face-off took place in phases and at multiple points during the 'Nabanna Chalo Abhiyan', a march to the state secretariat demanding "justice" for the RG Kar victim, which had at least three converging processions of agitators in both Kolkata and Howrah. The police made elaborate arrangements that included setting up iron barricades as high as 10 feet to stop protesters' progress.
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