RG Kar protest: Abhaya’s mother injured in lathi charge; Suvendu slams police

Heavy police deployment and barricades were seen from Santragachi to Howrah Bridge since morning ahead of the Nabanna Abhiyan protest. Police conducted mock drills before the march began. As the day progressed, BJP leaders including Suvendu Adhikari, Kaustav, and Agnimitra Paul joined the protest, with demonstrators climbing barricades and raising slogans. Suvendu Adhikari claimed the police conducted a lathi charge, injuring more than 100 people, including Abhaya’s parents.

Kaustav alleged that police broke the shakha-pola worn by his aunt during the protest. He said, “First, they assaulted my niece, and now they have broken her shakha. This is the true character of the police.” Suvendu alleged that senior leaders Arjun Singh and Ashok Dinda were injured, with Singh sustaining a head injury. He stated that the protest saw participation of around 50,000 people.

The march faced multiple police blockades. Suvendu changed routes twice to reach Park Street. In Santragachi, protesters were seen climbing barricades and shouting slogans. The state administration had set up high security measures in and around Nabanna, with restrictions in certain areas and diversion of traffic to control the movement of protesters.