Video: Kolkata cop cornered, thrashed by mob holding BJP flags during protest | Kolkata - Hindustan Times
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Video: Kolkata cop cornered, thrashed by mob holding BJP flags during protest

Sep 14, 2022 12:32 AM IST

A Kolkata Police officer said there was no report of any serious injury to any protestors though several police personnel have suffered injuries during BJP's ‘Nabanna Cholo' protest march.

Several police personnel and BJP workers reportedly suffered injuries as parts of Kolkata and Howrah district turned into a battlefield on Tuesday, with supporters of the saffron party clashing with the cops while trying to get past barricades erected to prevent them from marching towards the West Bengal secretariat ‘Nabanna’.

An assistant commissioner of Kolkata Police attacked by protesters amid BJP's 'Nabanna Chalo' march against the state government in Kolkata on Tuesday. (ANI )
An assistant commissioner of Kolkata Police attacked by protesters amid BJP's 'Nabanna Chalo' march against the state government in Kolkata on Tuesday. (ANI )

Saffron camp members, including leaders Mina Devi Purohit and Swapan Dasgupta, were reportedly injured during the rally organised to protest against the alleged corrupt practices of the Trinamool Congress government.

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A Kolkata Police officer said, "There was no report of any serious injury to any protestors though several police personnel have suffered injuries".

In a video shared by political analyst Tehseen Poonawalla, a mob can be seen pouncing on a police officer, wearing a helmet, on the streets of Kolkata.

“This is the BJP mob beating a #Kolkata Police officer ! He looks to be an Assistant Commissioner of Police! I leave it with one question- which ever part of our country there is violence: why are BJP supporters always consistently involved? Be it UP, WB, Kerala etc?” Poonawalla tweeted.

In another tweet, he wrote, “Looks to be an acp but is definitely a member of the Kolkata Police! Why this violence BJP ? That too with an officer in uniform? I ask : are police officers okay with this violence irrespective of the designation of the police officer!”

In the video, the mob can be seen beating the police with flag sticks. He somehow tried to save his head by holding on to his helmet. But seven-eight people surrounded him by the roadside railing. Then the beating started. When he tried to run away, a person again grabbed his uniform from behind.

TMC spokesperson Saket Gokhale, in a tweet, said, “I commend the Kolkata Police for a wonderful job today nipping BJP’s attempt to incite riots & for not using lethal force despite provocation. BJP MUST tremble with fear next time they even think of disrupting peace, attacking police, or vandalizing public property in Bengal.”

Several BJP leaders detained, then released

Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal assembly Suvendu Adhikari, the party's Hooghly MP Locket Chatterjee and senior leader Rahul Sinha and several other leaders were detained and later released.

While the BJP alleged that the Mamata Banerjee government does not want to give space to opposition parties, the TMC described the saffron camp workers as ‘hooligans’.

Police use tear gas

The police used tear gas and water cannons to disperse the agitators, who tried to go past the barricades that were put in place at several points in Kolkata and its adjoining areas.

"Everyone got to see how the partisan police tried scuttling a leader of the opposition's democratic right to protest outside Nabanna. I was manhandled by a woman constable, people saw that too," Adhikari told reporters before being whisked away in a prison van.

In Santragachhi in Howrah district, the police were pelted with stones as they chased away the protesters.

A police kiosk was damaged as the demonstrators were stopped from moving forward.

The pitched battle continued for several hours at Santragachhi as BJP activists went on throwing stones at the cops standing outside the station and police reinforcements were sent to quell the situation.

Similar scenes were witnessed in Howrah town, Kolkata’s Lalbazar and MG Road areas where protesters engaged in a scuffle with the police. In Lalbazar, a police vehicle was set on fire.

Police used water cannons near Howrah bridge, Howrah Maidan area and Santragachhi.

Seven trains were hired by the BJP to bring its supporters from the northern and southern parts of West Bengal on Monday for the protest march to 'Nabanna'.

(With inputs from agencies)

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    Have 11 years' experience in print and digital media. Write on politics, defence and world affairs, and have a keen eye for human-interest stories.

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