Massive police deployment ahead of students protest march in Kolkata

Kolkata, Aug 26 : A total of 4,000 police personnel will be stationed in different pockets of Kolkata, especially the connecting points with the adjacent Howrah district, in view of Tuesday's 'Nabanna Abhijan' (March to Secretariat) call given by students to protest against the R.G. Kar Medical College & Hospital rape-murder case.

This will be in addition to the 2,000 police personnel, under the supervision of 97 senior officers, who will be deployed to ensure security in and around Nabanna, which is located at Mandirtala in Howrah district.

The ‘Nabanna Abhijan’ call has been given on social media by the students of the state who have invited everyone to join the protest march without carrying the banner of any political party.

It is similar to the call given by women for a midnight march on the eve of Independence Day seeking justice for the R.G. Kar rape and murder victim.

Those willing to join Tuesday’s protest rally will be assembling at College Square in central Kolkata and from there the protesters will march towards the state secretariat.

Kolkata Police sources said that apart from the personnel of the city police and Howrah Police Commissionerate, personnel from other Commissionerate and district police units will also be deployed on Tuesday to prevent any sort of law & order issues over the rally.

City police sources added that senior officers in the rank of additional commissioners along with other senior ranks will be on the streets of the city on Tuesday to supervise the security arrangements.

There will be barricades at seven points in the city. Water cannons will also be stationed for any emergency. There will be drone surveillance at the rally as well, said sources.

The West Bengal government last week approached the Calcutta High Court seeking the court’s intervention in getting a ban on the rally. However, on August 23, a division bench of Calcutta High Court rejected the state government’s plea.

Even the Supreme Court on August 21 observed that while the law would take its course, peaceful protests cannot be stopped forcefully.