Jadavpur eviction drive turns violent; Congress-Left protest, several detained

High tension and chaos gripped the Jadavpur station area in South Kolkata late Sunday night, June 7, 2026, as railway authorities launched a massive eviction drive using bulldozers. Multiple illegal shops and structures near the 212 bus stand and station premises were demolished amid fierce resistance. To prevent any untoward incident and manage the volatile situation, a massive contingent of the Kolkata Police, Railway Police, and central forces was deployed, creating a heavily barricaded zone.

The eviction drive faced intense opposition from a joint coalition of Left parties and Congress, who staged a massive demonstration alongside local residents. The situation escalated rapidly, leading to a police lathi-charge to disperse the crowd, which left several protesters injured. Among the injured was prominent theatre activist Jayraj Bhattacharya, who reportedly sustained severe head injuries. To block the demolition, desperate protesters resorted to lying down in front of the bulldozers and climbing onto the heavy machinery.

During the unrest, CPI(M) leader Srijan Bhattacharya, along with several other activists, was forcefully detained by the police. While being taken away in a police van, Srijan accused the railway authorities of acting illegally and completely disregarding the judiciary. Prominent figures at the protest site, including actress Ushasie Chakraborty and Congress leader Sourav Prasad, argued that an eviction cannot legally take place without proper rehabilitation, citing a relevant 1988 court judgment.

The protest leaders further revealed that the railway authorities had previously agreed to wait for the courts to reopen on June 8 to receive a certified copy of the legal documents. They slammed the sudden midnight operation as a clear case of contempt of court and an abuse of power.