Barricades on Howrah Bridge, water cannons, over 6000 cops deployed: Tensions rise over ‘Nabanna Abhijan' rally
Kolkata doctor murder: More than 6,000 Kolkata Police officers have been deployed in the city on Tuesday in response to a student group's planned protest march to Nabanna to demand Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's resignation. Nabanna is the state secretariat where the Government of West Bengal operates. It houses the Chief Minister's office, as well as that of other important ministers and officials.
The massive protest comes in the aftermath of the r@pe-murder of a 31-year-old trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. Massive security measures are made as police anticipate violence during the protest march.
While the students' organisation 'Paschimbanga Chhatro Samaj' stated that their 'Nabanna Abhijan' rally would be peaceful, additional commissioner of police Kolkata Supratim Sarkar announced on Monday that the group's permission to stage the march had been rejected.
According to the police, they found evidence of a plot to cause turmoil and anarchy in West Bengal by "misusing the anger of well-meaning citizens".
The state police claim to have information that one of the individuals who called for the "Nabanna Abhijan" met with the leader of a political party at a major Five Star hotel. The police also claim to have specific intelligence on a plot to cause widespread turmoil and anarchy in order to provoke the police into using force.
A top official has informed that more than 6,000 police officers will be deployed to maintain law and order, and 19 barricades have been identified. Around 26 Deputy Commissioners of Police will be placed at various locations.
- With inputs from agencies
