What Happened During the RG Kar Rape-Murder Rally?

Kolkata, Aug 9 (NationPress) The first anniversary of the horrific rape and murder of a junior female doctor from R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital on Saturday was overshadowed by severe violence and unrest on the streets of Kolkata and Howrah. Tensions escalated following confrontations between police officers and demonstrators involved in the "Nabanna Avijan" (march to the state secretariat) rally.

Tragically, the victim’s mother was hospitalized after collapsing during the police crackdown on the protesters.

After she fell ill, her companions attempted to provide her with some relief by dousing her face with cold water. However, as her condition worsened, she was transported to a private hospital.

Protesters reported that she was experiencing dizziness and had trouble breathing. "She fell ill after police assaulted her. She has been taken for treatment at a private facility," one protester stated.

The victim's mother claimed she was struck by police while attempting to join her husband and other demonstrators in marching towards Nabanna (state secretariat).

The Nabanna Avijan rally on the anniversary of the R.G. Kar incident turned violent as law enforcement resorted to aggressive baton charges to disperse the crowd, reportedly assaulting the victim's parents in the process.

Suvendu Adhikari, the Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, who also claimed to have been assaulted by police, rushed to the private hospital to check on the victim’s mother.

"She is not well. Her condition is serious, but she is conscious. A CT scan has been conducted. A lower abdomen ultrasound has been performed. Doctors are closely monitoring her health. It's shameful that the victim's mother has to endure this. She was struck with a baton, and her forehead is swollen. A year after the tragic loss of her daughter, she is being beaten. I have no words to express my condemnation," Adhikari stated after visiting the hospital.

The victim’s mother and BJP leaders alleged that during the police action, the sacred conch shell-bangle on her wrist, a traditional symbol for married Hindu women, was shattered.

The victim's mother asserted that she was assaulted by the police.

"We were unarmed. Why are they so afraid of us? The police beat me and broke my Sankha-Pola. They threw me on the ground and kicked me," said the victim's mother. She further claimed that four to five police officers manhandled her during the altercation.

Police officials, however, refuted claims of using force against the victim's parents. "We have no reports of the victim's parents being assaulted by police at Park Street crossing. Nonetheless, their allegations will be thoroughly investigated," stated DC (Port), Harikrishna Pai.

Accompanied by BJP legislators, including Adhikari, the victim's parents initiated a march from Dorina Crossing towards Nabanna, located at Mandirtala in Kolkata-adjacent Howrah district, demanding justice for their daughter.

They called for the resignation of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for her failure to ensure women's safety.

"The police couldn't save my daughter or provide justice, yet they had no hesitation in assaulting women and the elderly," the mother expressed.

However, a large police presence halted the march at the Park Street - Jawaharlal Nehru Road junction. As BJP supporters attempted to breach the barricades, violence erupted between protesters and police. Shortly thereafter, law enforcement employed baton charges to disperse the crowd.

Sources indicated that police action was prompted by the protesters ignoring warnings not to advance beyond the Rani Rashmoni Road Assembly point.

Following the incident, tensions flared in areas around Park Street as BJP legislators and the victim's parents engaged in a sit-in demonstration, protesting the police attack.

The victim's father remarked that they were assaulted by police. "What is our crime? We will proceed to Nabanna. They cannot stop us," he asserted.

On the anniversary of the RG Kar incident, the victim's parents had called for a Nabanna Avijan. Numerous organizations supported their call.

All BJP legislators, including Subhendu Adhikari, participated in today's protest march. As the procession approached Nabanna via the Park Street area, police intercepted Adhikari and other BJP MLAs.

Subhendu Adhikari, alongside other BJP MLAs, protested on the roadside.

"Abhaya's parents were also assaulted. The police struck me with sticks. More than a hundred people sustained injuries. BJP MLAs faced police violence. They even tore the national flag," Adhikari reported.

The Trinamool Congress, in response, claimed that the BJP sought to intimidate individuals and sow division within society on the day of Raksha Bandhan. State minister Shashi Panja stated, "Today marks the day when Rabindranath Tagore tied a Rakhi symbolizing peace and communal harmony. However, the BJP has shown no regard for Bengal's traditions and is attempting to disrupt law and order while people celebrate this sacred bond of brotherhood and sisterhood."

Meanwhile, tensions persisted in the Santragachi area of Howrah as demonstrators attempted to breach barricades and advance. Bricks and water bottles were hurled at police, but escalation was avoided as law enforcement maintained restraint and did not react to the protesters' provocations.

Additionally, members of the Joint Platform of Doctors, West Bengal, Abhaya Mancha, and All India Central Council of Trade Unions (AICCTU) organized a "Kalighat Chalo" (march to Kalighat) rally at Hazra Crossing in South Kolkata to demand justice for the victim.

However, police prevented the protesters from advancing towards Kalighat, which is located near Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's residence.

As a symbolic gesture of protest, demonstrators tied rakhis on the wrists of policemen to convey a message of ensuring safety and security for the public.