Kolkata, Aug 10 (IANS) The first anniversary of the rape and murder of junior woman doctor of the West Bengal-run R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata was marred by massive violence following a scuffle between cops and protesters participating in “Nabanna Avijan (March to State Secretariat)” rally convened by the victim’s parents.
The victim’s mother had to be hospitalised after she fell ill amid police action against the protesters.
She alleged that she was beaten up by the policemen after she, along with her husband and other protesters, tried to march towards Nabanna (State Secretariat).
The victim’s mother and the BJP leaders have alleged that in the police action, the sacred conch shell-bangle on her wrist, traditionally believed to be the symbolic representation of married Hindu women, was broken.
“We were unarmed. Still, the police stopped us. Why are they scared of us? The police had beaten me up and broken my Sankha-Pola. They threw me on the road and kicked me,” said the victim’s mother.
She also alleged that four to five police personnel manhandled her during the scuffle.
The police, however, denied having used force on the parents of the victim.
“We have no information about the victim’s parents getting beaten up by the police at the Park Street crossing. But their allegations will be duly investigated,” Deputy Commissioner Of Police (Port), Harikrishna Pai, told reporters.
Accompanied by the BJP legislators, including the Leader of the Opposition (LoP) Suvendu Adhikari, the victim’s parents held a march from Dorina Crossing towards Nabanna, located at Mandirtala in Kolkata-adjacent Howrah district, demanding justice for their daughter.
They demanded the resignation of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for failing to protect women in the state.
“The police could not save my daughter or bring her justice, but they didn’t think twice about beating up women and elderly persons,” the victim’s mother said.
The Trinamool Congress, meanwhile, alleged that the BJP tried to intimidate people and create division in society on the day of Raksha Bandhan.
State women and Child Development Minister Shashi Panja said, “Today is the day when Rabindranath Tagore tied a Rakhi as a symbol of peace and communal harmony. However, the BJP has shown no respect for Bengal’s traditions and is attempting to disrupt law and order while people celebrate the sacred bond of brotherhood and sisterhood.”
On Sunday, the Kolkata Police registered seven FIRs against BJP leaders, including two MLAs, for violating the Calcutta High Court’s order for a peaceful Nabanna Avijan on Saturday and assaulting on-duty policemen.
The police said on Sunday that the FIRs have been registered against BJP MLAs Ashok Dinda, Agnimitra Paul, and BJP leader Koustav Bagchi and others at the New Market Police Station and Hare Street Police Station.
The BJP leaders have been accused of destroying public property, preventing government officials from discharging their duties, threatening on-duty policemen, verbally abusing them, assaulting police constables, and violating the High Court order for a peaceful protest.
The police added that five policemen were injured during Saturday’s protest march. Of them, three have been admitted to the state-run SSKM Hospital for treatment.
On morning of August 4, Kolkata Police Commissioner Manoj Kumar Verma paid a visit to the injured policemen at the hospital.
Speaking to media persons outside the hospital, Verma said that five policemen were injured.
“Two have been discharged, while three are undergoing treatment as they had head injuries. So far, seven FIRs have been registered against those who were present at yesterday’s rally for violating the Calcutta High Court’s order, assaulting policemen, threatening some of them, and damaging government and private properties,” Verma added.
Following the High Court’s order for a peaceful Nabanna Avijan, the Kolkata Police had earmarked two places for the proposed ‘Nabanna Abhijaan’ programme on August 9 — one at Santragachi Bus Stand under Howrah Police Commisserate and the other at Rani Rashmoni Avenue in the Kolkata Police area.
However, the protesters ignored the police directive and marched towards Nabanna from Dorina Crossing in central Kolkata.
However, the protest march was marred by massive violence after a scuffle broke out between protesters and policemen at Park Street and Jawaharlal Nehru crossing.
Kolkata Police Commissioner has said that the Kolkata police are examining the footage of the CCTV cameras and video footage to ascertain whether the victim’s mother was beaten up or not.
“It is a part of our investigation. We are assessing yesterday’s video footage. Action will be taken based on the assessment. We are checking footage from all angles, even drone camera footage. Unless we verify all the footage, we cannot make any assessment. But it is a part of our investigation,” Verma added.
Later on Sunday, the mother of the RG Kar rape and murder victim was discharged from the private hospital, with doctors advising her to stay at home for a few days and have rest.
The condition of the victim’s mother is stable, and all her health parameters are fine.
The victim’s father said: “My wife will be treated at home under the supervision of a local doctor. Her physical condition is much more stable than before. The swelling on her head has reduced a lot. But there is a little pain in her neck. She is a little mentally devastated. Therefore, she will be at home and take a rest.”
Meanwhile, the victim’s father also alleged that his wife was at first denied admission to a private hospital after the state government put pressure on the medical facility.
“The doctor who checked my wife on Saturday evening said that she would be admitted for treatment. But after he left the hospital, there was a sudden change in the attitude of others in the hospital. They started delaying the process. Then they told me that my wife could not be admitted as there was some pressure on them from the state government,” he alleged.
There was, however, no response from the private hospital authorities regarding the allegations.
Meanwhile, LoP Adhikari has decided to organise a convention in the neighbourhood of the RG Kar rape and murder victim’s parents to sensitise people against the alleged isolation of the elderly couple.
The decision from the BJP leader came after learning that parents of the RG Kar victim have been isolated in their neighbourhood by members of the Trinamool Congress.
LoP Adhikari alleged that the elderly couple have been isolated because they continue to demand justice for their deceased daughter and called for a “Nabanna Avijan” (March to the State Secretariat) on the anniversary of the RG Kar rape and murder incident.
“We have come to know that the ruling party (Trinamool Congress) is behaving in this way towards the parents of the victim. I am in touch with the family. Despite our limited capacity, we are thinking of holding a convention against the injustice that Trinamool is doing to the victim’s parents,” the LoP said.
–IANS
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