Protesters, police engage in pitched battles at Howrah
The Statesman | 28 August 2024
Howrah on Tuesday witnessed pitched battles between armed police and protestors at different points, starting from Santragachi, Foreshore Road, Howrah Maidan, along the G T Road, during the Nabanna Abhijan by the ‘Chhatra Samaj’, a newly-formed non-registered platform, allegedly backed by the BJP.
Several points connecting the state secretariat in Howrah virtually turned into fortress with deployment of massive police force, including RAF armed with preventive arrangements like water-canons, tear gas shells, rubber bullets etc at Santragachi on Kona Expressway, Foreshore Road, Howrah Maidan, along the G T Road, and Mandirtala, where protestors, divided in separate processions, were supposed to assemble to stage demonstrations demanding justice in the R G Kar Medical College Hospital incidence.
Fresh clashes between police and protesters broke out on G T Road in Howrah Maidan area, Foreshore Road, hardly three kilometres away from Nabanna, Kona Expressway in Santragachi, Howrah Bridge when they tried to march towards the state secretariat this afternoon, around 1 pm.
Police resorted to lathi-charge and used water cannons and tear gas shells to disperse the mob, which threw stones and bricks at the security forces and attempted to topple barricades at these points blocking their way.
A policeman, who identified himself as the in-charge of Chanditala police station of Hooghly, was seen bleeding from his head when he was injured in the clashes on G T Road.
“Why were we beaten by the police? We did not break any laws. We are holding a peaceful rally to demand justice for the deceased doctor. Chief minister Mamata Banerjee should take responsibility and resign,” said a woman protester.
Shops and establishments were found closing down shutters in the Santragachi, Howrah Maidan, Mullick Phatak, Foreshore Road, fearing violence.
Police said they began to lathi-charge and use tear gas after the agitators breached barricades at some locations and attacked security personnel.
Howrah Bridge and Santragachi, both across the Hooghly turned into battlegrounds as the protestors desperate to reach the state secretariat faced water cannons, tear-gas shells.
The protestors, who had started the march holding the Tricolour soon picked up stones lying along the railway tracks and bricks and hurled them at the cops. Several cops have sustained injuries in the brick-batting.
The protestors and the cops were seen playing a cat and mouse game in Howrah till later this afternoon.
They were seen coming back to the barricades even after being pushed back by cops. At some places in Howrah, the protestors were squatting on the roads. At Santragachi, the protestors climbed atop the barricades only to face the brute force of water cannons aimed at them.
“The state police and Calcutta Police have started tremendous atrocities on the protesting students. Protesters have been injured at College Square and Santragachi. I am warning them. If they do not stop immediately, we will bring Bengal to a halt on Wednesday,” said Suvendu Adhikari, Leader of Opposition in the state legislative Assembly.
The state police had denied permission to the ‘Chhatra Samaj’ and the Joutha Sangram Mancha to hold Tuesday’s protest rally.
The protesters included men and women of all ages, including an elderly sadhu with a flowing white beard spotted at the Howrah Bridge, who challenged the cops to handcuff him. The number of ordinary people outnumbered students, who were supposed to have issued the call for the march, demanding the resignation of the chief minister.