CLASHES broke out between police and protesters at different parts of Kolkata and its neighbouring Howrah on Tuesday, as the agitators tried to make their way through barricades to march towards the West Bengal Secretariat. The protesters were attempting to reach ‘Nabanna’ to demand the resignation of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over the rape-murder of a doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital here. Clashes were reported at MG Road, Hastings Road and areas near the Princep Ghat alongside Santragachi and Howrah Maidan in which some protesters as well as policemen were injured. Police lathicharged and used water cannons and tear gas to disperse protesters who threw stones and bricks at the security forces, and attempted to topple barricades blocking their way to the State Secretariat. “Why were we beaten by police? We did not break any law.

 

We are holding a peaceful rally to demand justice for the deceased doctor. The Chief Minister should take responsibility and resign,” said a woman protester. Police said they had to take action after the agitators breached barricades at some locations and “attacked” security personnel. “We are used to tackling such unruly mobs and our officers have handled the situation well. We have detained several people and the law will take its course,” a senior police officer of Kolkata Police said. Earlierintheday, policelathicharged and used water cannons and tear gas to drive away the agitators at Howrah Bridge’s Kolkata end and near the Santragachhi Railway station on Kona Expressway, as they tried to march on. More than 200 people were arrested from across the State, police said. Protesters took to incessant pelting of stones and glass bottles on the police at several spots where their progress was stopped.FifteenpersonneloftheKolkata Police and14 fromthe statepolice force were injured in the clashes, police said. At Santragachhi, the agitators threw bricks at police, injuring some officers, evenasprotestersclaimedthatthepolice actioncausedinjurytostudents.

 

Trouble escalatedwhenthestudentorganisation ‘Paschim BangaChhatra Samaj’ andthe dissidentStateGovernmentemployees’ platform ‘Sangrami Joutha Mancha’ begantheir‘NabannaAbhijan’rallyfrom various points. URGE STATE NOT TO USE POWER ON PEACEFUL PROTESTERS: GOVERNOR ANANDA BOSE’S: AMID theheightenedsecurityaroundtheWest Bengal State Secretariat in the wake of the Nabanna Abhijan Rally, the West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose on Tuesday urged the State Government to not to use power to stop the “peaceful protesting students.” He further reminded the State Government of the verdict of the Supreme Court and said that democracy cannot silence the majority.

 

In a video message, West Bengal GovernorCVAnandaBose said,“In the context of the peaceful protest, announced by the student community ofWestBengal andthe reportedsuppressions of the protest by certain instructionsoftheGovernment,Iwould urge upon the Government to remember the strong pronouncement of the SupremeCourtofIndia,letnotthepower of the State of West Bengal be unleashed on the peaceful protesters. Democracy cannot silence the majority, cannot silence the majority, cannot silence the majority! Remember that.” The‘NabannaAbhijanRally’iscalled by Paschim Banga Chatra Samaj and other organisations which aimed to protest the recent rape and murder of a woman trainee doctor in Kolkata. WB CONGRESS APPROACHES HC SEEKING PERMISSION FOR RALLY ON RG KAR CASE: WEST Bengal unit of Congress, on Tuesday, approached, asingle-judgebenchoftheCalcuttaHigh Court seeking permission to conduct a protest rally from College Square in central KolkatatoShyambazarinNorth Kolkata on August 29 condemning the rape and murder of RG Kar doctor.