Chaos At RG Kar Protest: Victim's Parents Injured, Taken To Hospital

The parents of the RG Kar rape and murder victim were injured allegedly in police action this morning while heading to a protest rally to Nabanna, the state secretariat that houses the office of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. They are currently admitted to a private hospital. Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, who visited the injured couple at the hospital, said the victim's mother's condition is "very serious" while the father's health is comparatively better.

The 'Nabanna Abhiyan' was called by the parents of the doctor to mark a year since the horrific incident, following a Calcutta High Court nod to hold a peaceful protest.

Kolkata Police had made arrangements for peaceful demonstrations at Rani Rashmoni Avenue and Satraganchi. But the victim's parents, along with Mr Adhikari, had taken a detour at Dorina Crossing and marched towards Park Street, skipping Rani Rashmoni Avenue. 

Chaos unfolded when the demonstrators tried to march towards the secretariat despite police warnings, and were lathi-charged by the police.

The victim's mother alleged she sustained a head injury in the police action and that her 'shankha', a traditional conch shell bangle, was also broken. "Why are they stopping us? All we want is to reach secretariat and seek justice for my daughter," news agency PTI quoted her as saying.

Her husband alleged that despite having a court permission for the rally, they were stopped from joining the march.

The young doctor's rape-murder at the state-run RG Kar hospital last year had shaken the country, prompting doctors across the nation to voice their concerns and go on a strike. Sanjay Roy, a civic police volunteer, was convicted in the case this January and was sentenced to life imprisonment.

The parents of the victim, however, are not convinced with the trial. They recently met CBI Director Praveen Sood in Delhi and expressed their dissatisfaction with the agency's probe in the rape-murder of their daughter. 

Back in Kolkata, they took out a massive rally to Nabanna, hoping to meet the Chief Minister. Sensing a massive turnout, the police had made tight security arrangements along the route, especially in Howrah district where Nabanna is located.

The protesters, however, ignored warnings and clashed with the cops at multiple points. They threw bricks and shoes at the cops. At Santragachi in Howrah, they tried to breach the iron wall barricades and were lathi-charged. They were lathi-charged at the Park Street crossing too as they tried to proceed towards the Vidyasagar Setu that links Howrah.

Additional police force and the Rapid Action Force (RAF) were also deployed to contain the protest.  

The BJP claimed at least 100 protesters were injured in the police action. Mr Adhikari and other BJP MLAs later staged a protest at the Park Street-Jawaharlal Nehru Road crossing.