Kolkata Doctor rape-murder case: Police lathicharge, use tear gas, water cannons to disperse 'Nabanna Abhijan' march

Digital Desk: Hundreds of protesters on Tuesday clashed with police in Kolkata during the "Nabanna Abhijan" demonstration, demanding the resignation of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and the arrest of those responsible for the rape and murder of a doctor at RG Kar Hospital.

The protest, organized by the student group Paschimbanga Chattro Samaj, was part of a march to the State Secretariat. As the demonstration reached Howrah Bridge, West Bengal police responded with water cannons and tear gas to disperse the crowds. Earlier, many protesters had assembled at College Square in Kolkata to start the march.

The protest was sparked by the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. The Paschimbanga Chattro Samaj organized the march to demand Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s resignation, accusing her of failing to ensure women's safety, which they argue contributed to the RG Kar incident and caused widespread national outrage.

In anticipation of the protest, West Bengal police had bolstered security around the state secretariat, "Nabanna," deploying vajra vehicles, water cannons, Riot Control Forces, and placing roadblocks. On Monday, the police labeled the Nabanna Abhijan Rally's approach to the State Secretariat as "illegal," accusing it of attempting to incite large-scale unrest in Kolkata.

Despite the protests, student organizers assured that their march would not disrupt UGC-NET exams, which are scheduled in two shifts. Nevertheless, many educational institutions opted to hold online classes or declare a holiday for the day.

In related developments, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has conducted two rounds of polygraph tests on Sandip Ghosh, the former principal of RG Kar Medical College, and lie detector tests on the main suspect, Sanjoy Roy.