RG Kar protest turns violent: Protestors lathicharged, victim’s mother alleges assault

The rally participants demanded the resignation of chief minister Mamata Banerjee for "failing to protect women"

In the heart of Kolkata, police and protesters came to blows on Saturday as the parents of the RG Kar doctor, raped and killed last year, led a march towards the West Bengal secretariat (Nabanna).

Chaos ensued as protestors tried to break through barricades and head towards Nabanna, with the victim’s mother alleging that she was roughed up by women police personnel. She claimed that in the scuffle, her 'shankha' (traditional conch shell bangle) was broken and she sustained a head injury.

"Why are they stopping us like this? All we want is to reach Nabanna and seek justice for my daughter," she was quoted as saying by PTI.

Police reportedly used batons to disperse protesters after they tried to breach barricades.

The rally participants demanded the resignation of chief minister Mamata Banerjee for "failing to protect women".

The RG Kar victim's father also alleged that the police tried to prevent the family from reaching Dorina Crossing to join the march, despite court permission for a peaceful rally.

According to an India Today report, the unrest unfloded after the rally moved away from the designated protest site and headed towards Park Street, a busy area in Kolkata.

Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, along with BJP leader Agnimitra Paul and other party MLAs held a sit-in at the Park Street-J L Nehru Road crossing, while alleging that more than 100 protesters, including Adhikari and other BJP leaders, were injured in police action.

Adhikari also claimed that the parents of the RG Kar victim were injured during the lathi charge.

Tight security arrangements were made along the route, with protesters scuffling with the police at Santragachi in Howrah district.

The RG Kar Medical College rape and murder incident occurred on August 9, 2024, when a 31-year-old female postgraduate trainee doctor was found dead in a seminar room on campus. The case led to widespread protests and outrage across the country, with many demanding justice for the victim.