The Kolkata Police on Tuesday lathi-charged, used water cannons and tear gas to disperse agitators at Howrah Bridge's Kolkata end and near Santragachhi Railway station on Kona Expressway as protestors attempted to break through police barricades in an effort to reach the state secretariat, Nabanna.
At Santragachhi, agitators threw bricks at police, injuring several officers, while protestors claimed that police action also injured several students.
The protestors were attempting to reach the state secretariat to demand the removal of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over the rape-murder of a doctor at RG Kar Medical College.
Police said they began lathicharging and tear gassing after the agitators managed to breach the barricades at some locations and attacked the security personnel.
Trouble escalated when the student organisation, 'Paschim Banga Chhatra Samaj', and the dissident state government employees' platform 'Sangrami Joutha Mancha' began their 'Nabanna Abhijan' rally from various points.
The state police has termed the rally "illegal" and "unauthorized," citing concerns over potential violence and public disorder.
ADG (Law and Order) Manoj Verma indicated that there is credible intelligence suggesting attempts by miscreants to incite violence and chaos during the protest.
The Trinamool Congress has denounced the rally as a "conspiracy" to create public disorder, releasing videos that purportedly show BJP leaders from Ghatal, Paschim Medinipur district, planning to provoke violence. The persons shown in the videos have been detained for questioning.
In response to the anticipated disruptions, several educational institutions have opted to conduct online classes or declared a holiday for Tuesday.
Governor CV Ananda Bose has urged the state government to refrain from using force to prevent the rally, advocating for the students' right to protest.
