Kolkata: The city witnessed dramatic scenes today as the parents of the RG Kar Medical College doctor, raped and murdered in August last year, led a protest march towards the West Bengal secretariat, Nabanna. The demonstration — part of the ‘Nabanna Chalo Abhiyan’ — descended into chaos when protesters clashed with police at multiple points across the city and in Howrah district.
The trouble began at Dorina Crossing in central Kolkata, where the victim’s parents were joined by leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, BJP MLA Agnimitra Paul and other party legislators, who avoided carrying party flags or banners.
The victim’s father alleged that police tried to prevent the family from reaching the site, despite a Calcutta High Court order allowing a peaceful rally.
As the march moved beyond the designated assembly point at Rani Rashmoni Road and headed towards Park Street, the police set up heavy barricades and repeatedly warned demonstrators to disperse.
The victim’s mother alleged that she was manhandled by women police personnel during the march, her traditional shankha (conch shell bangle) broken, and that she suffered a head injury.
“Why are they stopping us like this? All we want is to reach Nabanna and seek justice for my daughter. At least four policemen pushed me to the ground and struck me on the head,” she said.
She was later taken to a private nursing home, where doctors confirmed a head injury. Leader of the opposition Suvendu Adhikari went to the nursing home to see her.
“We have conducted a scan of her head. The report is awaited. We hope the injury is not severe,” an attending doctor said.
Tensions escalated when protesters tried to breach barricades, with some scaling the 10-ft-high structures and others using blunt tools to carve openings through the iron walls.
Clashes broke out at Park Street-J L Nehru Road crossing, where Adhikari and Paul staged a sit-in, alleging that over 100 protesters — including themselves and the victim’s parents — were injured in a police lathicharge.
“(Chief Minister) Mamata Banerjee will pay dearly for this. This protest is only going to get bigger from here,” Adhikari warned.
A parallel march in Santragachi, Howrah, saw similar confrontations as demonstrators attempted to force their way through barricades, shouting slogans and demanding justice for “Abhaya” — the name given to the RG Kar victim — and calling for Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s resignation for “failing to protect women.”
The administration had deployed large contingents of state police, Rapid Action Force personnel, and water cannons along key routes to prevent protesters from approaching Nabanna.
Vehicles were stopped at multiple points to block people from joining the rally, leading to swelling crowds at both Kolkata and Howrah assembly points.
The 31-year-old postgraduate trainee doctor was found dead in a seminar room at RG Kar Medical College on August 9, 2024. Her killing had sparked statewide outrage, and Saturday’s protest marked the first anniversary of the crime, with the victim’s parents urging citizens to join their fight for justice.
