56 Officials Injured After BJP Workers Clash With Kolkata Police During Protests

Purported BJP workers resorted to stone-pelting in Howrah's Santraganchi, and also burnt down a police van.

Security personnel attempt to disperse BJP supporters from the Howrah Bridge during their Nabanna Abhijan (march to Secretariat) to protest against alleged corrupt practices of TMC government, in Kolkata, Tuesday, 13 September.

(Photo: PTI) 

Fifty-six police personnel were injured in Kolkata and Howrah during the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP's) attempt to visit Santragachi during the party's march to the state secretariat ‘Nabanna' on Tuesday, 13 September.

Purported BJP workers also resorted to stone-pelting in Howrah's Santraganchi.

Two officials were seriously injured while one officer was reportedly admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Several BJP workers were injured as well.

Visuals from the clash also showed Kolkata Police Assistant Commissioner being beaten and thrashed by protesters in Kolkata's Burrabazar area.

Meanwhile, state BJP chief Sukanta Majumdar was arrested during the march and said, "CM is scared, ran away after seeing the strength of the people gathered here; only 30 percent are here today, some of the rest were detained yesterday."

Majumdar was released on Tuesday evening.

Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, MP Locket Chatterjee, and party leader Rahul Sinha were also detained and whisked away in a prison van. They were stopped in front of the police training school at the approach to the Second Hooghly Bridge near the Secretariat.

"CM Mamata doesn't have the support of her people and so she is enforcing dictatorship, similar to North Korea, in Bengal... Police will have to pay for what it's been doing since yesterday, BJP is coming," Adhikari had said ahead of the march.

However, the state government informed the chief justice of the Calcutta High Court that all detained leaders have been released.

Subsequently, Rahul Sinha said, "I condemn the way our democratic agitation was turned violent by lathicharging and firing tear gas on our workers."

"My head & hand was injured. We'll continue agitation until Mamata Banerjee leaves her seat," Sinha added.

The HC also sought a report from the home secretary on the law and order violations by BJP workers. The court further directed the police not to illegally detain any persons and ensure no damage to public property.

BJP MP Locket Chatterjee being detained by the police. 

(Photo Courtesy: Twitter/ @BJP4Bengal)

Union Minister D Pradhan told new agency ANI, "Cholo Nabonno has rattled the corrupt and power-drunk in West Bengal. Bengal has risen to reclaim its glory. Bengal has risen against anarchy, corruption & murder of democracy."

"No amount of muscle-flexing and state-sponsored violence will mute people’s voices," Pradhan furthered said.

Traffic movement was halted by the police on the Howrah Bridge in Kolkata in view of the march.

The saffron party's 'Nabanna Abhijan' (march to secretariat) is to protest against the alleged corrupt practices of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) government.

BJP Workers Throw Stones & Glass Bottles

During the march, BJP party workers clashed with the police and allegedly threw stones and glass bottles at officials. Further, the police deployed water cannons and tear gas shells to stop and disperse workers in Howrah's Santragachhi area.

BJP councilor Meenadevi Purohit, among several others on both sides, was injured in the clashes.

Moreover, the party workers also set a police van on fire in Rabindra Sarani and vandalised a police kiosk as well.

Clashes also broke out outside the Raniganj railway station as the workers were leaving for Kolkata to take part in the 'Nabanna Abhiyan' on Tuesday, 13 September.

Moreover, buses carrying BJP workers, on the way to Kolkata to participate in the march, were stopped by the police in North 24 Parganas, according to news agency ANI.

Many workers were taken into preventive custody in Raniganj. Earlier, BJP leader Abhijit Dutta had said, "Twenty of our workers stopped by police near Durgapur railway station. I reached here using other paths."

BJP MLA Agnimitra Paul told news agency ANI, "The preparations for Nabanna Chalo Abhiyan have been done. It is not just BJP's protest but the protest of all the people of Bengal. Mamata Banerjee has to answer why her government has cheated the people of Bengal."

The BJP hired several trains – three from north Bengal and four from south Bengal – to bring its party members and supporters from different parts of the state to Kolkata and Howrah for the march. Traffic restrictions have been put in place along several key stretches of the city in view of the march, police said.

BJP national Vice-President Dilip Ghosh is expected to lead the procession from north Kolkata.

TMC Scared of Public Uprising, Asserts Dilip Ghosh

"The TMC government is scared of public uprising. Even if they try to stop our protest march, we will resist peacefully. The state administration will be responsible for any untoward development," Ghosh asserted.

Meanwhile, BJP leader Rahul Sinha accused the Mamata Banerjee government of trying to forcibly stop the "democratic protest."

"Our supporters were prevented from boarding a special train from Alipurduar to Sealdah on Monday evening and even lathi-charged by the state police. The train left later with our activists and supporters," Sinha said.

TMC spokesperson Joy Prakash Majumdar, however, said that the BJP is attempting to create disturbance in Kolkata for its "narrow, partisan politics."

"We urge everyone not to fall in their trap," he added.

(With inputs form PTI and ANI.)