Left activists clash with police during protest

KOLKATA: Left activists clashed with police in central Kolkata's Esplanade area on Thursday afternoon as they tried to break barricades on their way to state Secretariat Nabanna, demanding jobs.

The march started from College Street, but was stopped by police on SN Banerjee Road in the Esplanade area. As the Left activists tried to head further by breaking metal barricades, police tried to stop them.

The Left-wing youths and students tried to climb up the barricades. The Left outfits were marching to Nabanna, demanding jobs and industrialisation in the state, among others.

Meanwhile, the Left Front and Congress have called for a 12-hour strike on Friday to protest against the attempts made by the police to disperse the protestors.

Sources said a heated exchange took place between the agitators and the police. The protesters pelted brickbats and stones at police. Some police personnel got injured in the incident. Police arrested around 40 protestors from the spot as they turned violent and took them to the Lalbazar central lock up.

When the violent mob dispersed from the Esplanade area, a group of the SFI and DYFI activists stepped back and put up a blockade at the Moulali crossing. Apart from Kolkata, a group of protestors tried to reach Nabanna in Howrah through Kajipara. Five DYFI activists-led by CPI (M) MLA, Imran Ali somehow managed to reach in front of Nabanna, but they were quickly nabbed by the police. Another 5 protestors were arrested from Kajipara crossing while they were trying to move towards the state headquarters.