'Reclaim The Night' Protest Spirals into Violence in West Bengal

The 'Reclaim The Night' campaign in West Bengal turned violent when a protester was attacked in Mathabhanga by alleged TMC members. The demonstration sought justice for a doctor who was raped-murdered. CPI(M) members filed a police complaint, while TMC denies the assault. Police have been deployed to maintain peace.

The 'Reclaim The Night' campaign across West Bengal, demanding justice for a doctor who was raped-murdered at a state-run hospital in Kolkata last month, faced violent resistance in Mathabhanga town. A protester was reportedly assaulted by members of the Trinamool Congress (TMC).

Pradyut Saha, a branch secretary of the CPI(M) and an employee of the Mathabhanga municipality, was allegedly attacked during a demonstration organized by the West Bengal Democratic Writers' and Artistes' Association and the People's Theatre Association. The event aimed to demand justice for the murdered doctor through songs, poems, and street art highlighting violence against women.

Moksedul Islam, a CPI(M) district committee member, claimed that TMC activists tried to disrupt the protest by threatening participants and pressuring them to erase their artwork. When Saha objected, he was reportedly beaten by ruling party workers before being rescued by other protest group members.

CPI(M) district committee members filed a complaint with police regarding the incident. Conversely, Biswajit Rai, president of Mathabhanga Town Block TMC, denied any assault, claiming that the party had its own peaceful protest concurrent at another location, and no violence occurred.

Police have now been deployed in the area to maintain order and prevent further unrest.

Condemning the alleged violence, BJP state president and Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar posted on X, describing the TMC as anti-democratic and accusing them of attacking a peaceful protest. In Kolkata, actor Rituparna Sengupta faced hostility from protesters demanding justice for the RG Kar victim, leading to her being escorted away by police.

In another incident during a solidarity rally at Garia in southern Kolkata, a youth was detained by police after allegedly misbehaving with women, reportedly under the influence and subsequently beaten by other protesters before being handed over to authorities.

''No amount of coercion and threats will deter us from our fight for justice for the victim,'' stated Ushashi Paul, a woman protestor.

(With inputs from agencies.)