Kolkata Rally News Highlights: Police use batons, tear gas as BJP demands release of students detained during Nabanna Abhijan

West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose says, "I would say disproportionate force and coercive power was used by the state in dealing with the situation, ignoring the Supreme Court's own pronouncements that the state power shall not be unleashed against peaceful protesters….”

“We were amazed to see Kolkata Police's over activeness. Where was (West Bengal CM) Mamata Banerjee’s police on the night of August 14 when 7,000 hooligans attacked RG Kar Hospital? Where were you, Vineet Goyal? Were you hiding in the toilet?” says BJP leader Agnimitra Paul.

“They were not students and their basic demand of justice is our demand as well. So far, one person has been arrested and that too by Kolkata Police. The investigation is in the hands of CBI, the matter is in the Supreme Court but protests are being held in Kolkata...There was not a big gathering, a maximum of 3000 people were there. They were trying to break barricades, attack police, stones were pelted, and police officials were injured but the Police did not open fire. Minimal action has been taken by the police to disperse the mob...Rape and murder is a big social crime but the situation is the same across the country though no Congress or BJP leader has resigned anywhere... They (BJP) have called for a Bharat Bandh tomorrow which will be a complete flop...”

Police used teargas and resorted to lathi-charge to disperse BJP leaders and supporters when they marched towards Kolkata Police headquarters Lalbazar demanding the release of students arrested during the Nabanna Abhijan rally on Tuesday.

The rally was called for demanding the resignation of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in the wake of the recent rape and murder of a postgraduate trainee doctor at state-run R G Kar Medical College.

The police action began after BJP supporters attempted to break police barricades to enter Lal Bazaar.

BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar, who led the march, fell ill after being exposed to teargas and subsequently left the scene.

The CBI has sought permission from a Kolkata court to conduct a polygraph test on city police assistant sub-inspector Anup Dutta who was said to be close to Sanjay Roy, the arrested accused in the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at RG Kar medical college, officials said Tuesday.

The CBI is exploring if Dutta helped Roy in any cover up of the crime, they said.

Union Minister and West Bengal BJP president Sukanta Majumdar, BJP workers and others stage protest over RG Kar Medical College and Hospital rape-murder case.

“We have come here with the demand to release those who were detained (during 'Nabanna Abhijan' protest),” says BJP leader Locket Chatterjee

Kolkata Rally News LIVE Updates: Protestors break police barricades, chant slogans outside Kolkata Police head quarters

BJP leaders and workers including West Bengal BJP president & Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar sit on a protest outside Kolkata Police (Head Quarters) in Lal Bazar, Kolkata demanding release of students who were detained by police today

Accusing West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of shielding those involved in the rape and murder of a trainee doctor in Kolkata, the BJP on Tuesday called her a “dictator” and demanded her resignation to ensure a fair probe into the matter.

The BJP has also demanded that the CBI conduct a polygraph test on Banerjee and Police Commissioner Vineet Goel, who the party alleged had initially said that the victim died by suicide.

The BJP condemned the incident of lathicharge by the West Bengal Police on the students, who had taken out a rally in Kolkata demanding justice for the victim and the chief minister's resignation.

Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury says, “I am not able to understand why excessive arrangements have been made to prevent the protest?... Restrictions have been imposed at various locations...The opposition and ruling party should sit together to ensure that the protest takes place peacefully.”

“The images of police highhandedness from Kolkata have angered every person who values democratic principles. In Didi's West Bengal, to help rapists and criminals is valued, but it's a crime to speak for women's safety,” BJP president JP Nadda writes in a post on X.

According to local media reports, the Bharatiya Janata Party has called for a 12-hour bandh across the state of West Bengal tomorrow, i.e., August 28.

Kolkata Rally News LIVE Updates: Visuals near Fort William as police and protestors come face to face

Police use water cannons to disperse protestors near Howrah Bridge, as they continue to agitate over RG Kar Medical College and Hospital rape-murder case.

Joint CP (traffic) Rupesh Kumar says, “Some people who pelted stones and broke police barricades have been detained. We chased those who were throwing stones and blocking the road. We are tackling the crowd...”

In Howrah, Kolkata Police DC (Central) Indrani Mukherjee says, "We will see whatever happens, there is no problem. We will count later (the number of arrests), we will see things here first..."

"The Constitution is being strangled. 'Tanashah' Mamata Banerjee is venting out her anger on students instead of criminals. However, INDI alliance is silent over this," says BJP leader Gaurav Bhatia

Kolkata police have detained protesters from Howrah Bridge who were participating in the 'Nabanna Abhijan' march. The protesters faced tear gas and water cannons as they attempted to breach barricades outside the Bengal secretariat.

Heavy police deployment is reported in areas such as Santragachi station in Howrah and Hastings, which are on the route to the secretariat. BJP’s Suvendu Adhikari has threatened that if police continue their actions against the protestors, the situation could lead to a complete standstill in Bengal tomorrow.

Meanwhile, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) today filed a money laundering case to investigate alleged financial irregularities at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, according to officials.

"You were elected by the public to the state Assembly and became Chief Minister with great expectations. However, you have failed to deliver on your promises and have instead exploited and oppressed the people of Bengal. The common man is exhausted and seeks freedom from your administration. Our sole demand is that Mamata Banerjee must resign," says one protestor.

Protesters moved police barricades as they staged a demonstration against the rape and murder of the trainee doctor. In response, police used lathi charges and tear gas to disperse the crowd.

The West Bengal Junior Doctors Forum has, meanwhile, called for a massive rally on Wednesday, demanding justice for the doctor who was sexually assaulted and murdered at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. The rally will start at Shyambazar and end at Dharmatala, following a convention held at the medical college on Monday. The forum has outlined five demands, including stricter measures for the safety of women healthcare workers and the creation of a fast-track court to handle the rape-murder case. They will not participate in today's march to Nabanna, the state secretariat.

Civic volunteers have been seen greasing the gates at the backside of Fort William in Hastings, likely to prevent protesters from scaling the barricades.

Responding to the Bengal Police's statement on the missing volunteers, Suvendu Adhikari posted on X, "The families have approached Hon’ble Calcutta High Court. See you in Court Mamata Police…,” . His statement came after the police countered his earlier claims that four “student activists," who were distributing food to volunteers ahead of today's Nabanna Abhiyan, went “missing after midnight” near Howrah railway station.

The police clarified that the students had been arrested and that their families were informed. According to the police, these individuals were "planning to orchestrate large-scale violence during the Nabanna Abhijan today and were involved in a conspiracy of murder and attempted murder".

The West Bengal police have dismissed Suvendu Adhikari's claims of four students going missing as a "false narrative."

In a statement on X this morning, the police clarified, "A certain political leader has been trying to create a false narrative about four students who have apparently been missing since last night. The truth is, nobody is missing. The four were planning to orchestrate large-scale violence during the Nabanna Abhijan today and were involved in a conspiracy of murder and attempted murder. They have been arrested in the interest of public safety and security, and their families have been informed."

To maintain law and order, more than 6,000 policemen will be deployed across Kolkata, with 19 strategic points identified for barricading. On Monday evening, police relocated a group of people who had gathered near Nabanna in Howrah. Starting at 8 am today, the Kolkata Police has deployed personnel, established at least 19 barricade points, and prepared water cannons, with 26 district collectors assigned to monitor the situation.

Meanwhile, Medical Superintendent cum Vice President, RG Kar Medical College & Hospital, Saptarshi Chatterjee, during an interaction with the media today, updated on the situation in the hospital premises, "...The CBI team came to my office to see all the documents and computers, hard disc. They seized and took away all the items and gave us a seizure list... I went to the CGO complex yesterday to authenticate my signature which was already there on all the documents... Every day we talk to students and the faculty members are giving their best so that patients do not have to suffer. I think RG Kar is gradually coming back to normal life as the patient's footfall which was around 100 has now crossed 1000. All the departments including OPD and Emergency are functional".

On Monday night, BJP Leader of Opposition in the Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, claimed that several student volunteers had gone missing hours before the rally.

He took to micrblogging site X, stating, "The following Student Activists who were distributing food to the volunteers, who were arriving at Howrah Station, suddenly went missing after midnight :-  Subhojit Ghosh  Pulokesh Pandit  Goutam Senapati  Pritam Sarkar Neither they can be traced nor are they answering their phones. We apprehend that they may have been arrested/detained by the Mamata Police. If something happens to them Mamata Police will be held accountable".

Student outfits affiliated with Left parties have also opposed the "Nabanna Abhijan" rally organized by Paschim Banga Chatra Samaj today. The reason for their opposition is that the rally clashes with the UGC-NET examination, which is scheduled on the same day. Sources within the CPI(M) have indicated that the party has instructed all its leaders, members, and affiliated outfits to abstain from participating in the march.

SFI leader Srijan Bhattacharya stated, “I don’t know who called this rally. But it is now clear that any student outfit can’t call a rally on a day when there is the UGC-NET examination. So, we will not be a part of this rally.”

Heavy police deployment is in place at Khidirpur Bridge ahead of the "Nabanna Abhijan" rally organised by student groups "Paschim Banga Chhatra Samaj" and the "Sangrami Joutha Mancha."

The student group organising the march is using slogans from Bangladesh, including “Dafa Ek, Daabi Ek, Mamataar Podotyag” (One point, one demand, resignation of Mamata). The march is scheduled to start at 2 pm today, heading towards Nabanna. Although the Left student and youth wings have distanced themselves from the event, the BJP has shown support for the rally.

At a press conference on Monday, Chhatra Samaj spokesperson Sayan Lahiri responded to the accusations from the TMC and police, stating that the claims are unfounded. Lahiri noted that their intention is to protest peacefully. He added that if their rally is obstructed, they will attempt to proceed to Nabanna in a non-violent manner to demand Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's resignation over her handling of the RG Kar Medical College case. Lahiri clarified that the rallies, starting from College Square, Fort William, and Santragachhi at noon and heading towards Nabanna, are organized by an apolitical group with no connections to the BJP, RSS, or ABVP.

The Kolkata police have notified protesting organisations of restrictions near Nabanna, including a ban on gatherings of more than five people.

According to a post on microblogging site X, the police stated, "August 27, Tuesday, is the day when several candidates are scheduled to take the UGC-NET exam from 9.30 am to 12.30 pm and again from 3 pm to 6 pm. An organisation calling itself ‘Paschimbanga Chhatra Samaj’ has called for a ‘Nabanna Abhiyan’ on the same day. We have ensured adequate police presence on the roads so that no UGC-NET candidate has difficulty reaching their examination centres. In case of any emergency, candidates are requested to seek help from the nearest police personnel, contact the nearest police station".

The students organising the "Nabanna Abhijan" protest are demanding the resignation of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. The protesters have assured that their march will not disrupt UGC-NET exams, which are scheduled in two shifts. Despite these assurances, many educational institutions have opted to conduct online classes or declare a holiday for Tuesday to mitigate potential disruptions.

West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose, in a video message Monday, expressed his support for the student mega rally to Nabanna.

"In the context of the peaceful protest announced by the student community of West Bengal and the reported suppression of the protest by certain instructions from the government, I would urge upon the government to remember the strong pronouncement of the Supreme Court of India. Let not the power of the state of West Bengal be unleashed on peaceful protesters. Democracy can have a silent majority, not a silenced majority. Remember that," he stated.

Kolkata Rally News LIVE Updates: The student group Paschim Banga Chhatra Samaj and the Sangrami Joutha Mancha, representing state government employees, are proceeding with their 'Nabanna Abhijan' rally on Tuesday, despite the administration deeming the event illegal. The rally aims to demand the resignation of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and the arrest of those responsible for the alleged rape and murder of a doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. The Paschim Banga Chhatra Samaj is an unregistered student organization, while the Sangrami Joutha Mancha seeks to align state government employees' Dearness Allowance with that of their central counterparts.