Kolkata streets turn into war zone as BJP's protest march turns violent | Top updates
Thousands of BJP supporters from across the state started arriving in Kolkata and neighbouring Howrah on Tuesday morning to take part in the saffron party's ‘Nabanna Cholo Abhijan’.
The Kolkata Police on Tuesday detained leader of opposition in West Bengal assembly Suvendu Adhikari and MP Locket Chatterjee while they were trying to visit Santragachi during the BJP's massive protest march to state secretariat ‘Nabanna’ over alleged corruption by the ruling Trinamool Congress government. The police also arrested state BJP chief Sukanta Majumdar during the protest.
They were stopped in front of police training school at the approach to the Second Hooghly Bridge near the secretariat.
Thousands of BJP supporters from across the state started arriving in Kolkata and neighbouring Howrah on Tuesday morning to take part in the saffron party's ‘Nabanna Abhijan’.
“Hands and feet of many (BJP) workers were broken. More than 200 workers were injured. We will fight against this. The BJP will call a press conference and reveal the party's next programme,” Adhikari said after being released by police in the evening.
Here are top updates on BJP's ‘Nabanna Cholo Abhijan’:
> The BJP leaders were detained from Hastings in Kolkata when they were leading the Nabanna Cholo Abhiyan. Adhikari, Chatterjee and BJP leader Rahul Sinha were taken to Kolkata Police headquarters in Lalbazar.
> The Kolkata Police has put up heavy barricading at Hastings near the state government's new Secretariat in Kolkata ahead of the BJP's march.
> The police had to resort to using tear gas and water cannons to disperse the protesters near the Howrah bridge as they clashed with the security officials.
> A police vehicle was also torched in Kolkata.
> Sukanta Majumdar said Mamata Banerjee is scared and ran away after seeing the strength of the people gathered here. “Only 30 per cent are here today, some of the rest were detained yesterday,” he said.
> Earlier on Tuesday, a clash broke out between BJP workers and Police outside the Raniganj railway station as workers leave for Kolkata to take part in the march on Tuesday. The police took many workers into preventive custody in Raniganj.
> Buses carrying BJP workers, on their way to Kolkata to participate in the Nabanna Chalo march, were stopped by the police in North 24 Parganas.
> Several roads across Kolkata have been blocked with barricades. To prevent the procession, the police have turned the 5-kilometre radius around Nabanna into a fortress.
> The Calcutta high court sought a report from the West Bengal home secretary over the BJP's Nabanna Abhijan. The report will have to be submitted on September 19. The HC further directed the police to not illegally detain any person and also ensure that there is no damage to public property.
(With inputs from agencies)
