In a significant development, police have removed the barricades at Kolkata's Phears Lane, allowing protesting junior doctors to move forward after a 22-hour standoff. The doctors, who have been on continuous strike, will now submit a memorandum to the Kolkata Police Commissioner (CP) at Lal Bazar. A delegation of 22 doctors has been allowed to proceed.
The protest, which saw doctors holding a sit-in and chanting slogans, gained momentum as they marched forward singing "Hum Honge Kamyaab" and the national anthem. The standoff had brought parts of the city to a standstill, but with the police yielding, normalcy is expected to return soon.
As the doctors moved toward Lal Bazar, they were escorted by a human chain of police officers, highlighting the tension yet cooperation between the two sides.