Cop injured in clash with junior doctors during ‘Abhaya’ march

Kolkata: A chaotic situation cropped up in Chandni Chowk area after junior doctors tried to start a rally called the ‘Abhaya’ march despite having no permission from the police on Wednesday afternoon which also caused a major inconvenience for pandal hoppers on ‘Sasthi’.

According to sources, the doctors on Tuesday had announced that on Wednesday they will take out a rally with an idol representing the deceased junior doctor of RG Kar Hospital and will distribute leaflets where their demands will be mentioned along with an appeal to the mass for supporting them. Accordingly, on Wednesday afternoon, the doctors were about to start a rally with a small goods vehicle from Chandni Chowk but right before that, a large contingent of police force led by senior Kolkata Police officials reportedly tried to stop the junior doctor as they did not have any permission for the rally.

It is alleged that despite repeated requests, the junior doctors were rigid about the rally. After the obstruction, a clash broke out between the police and the junior doctors in Chandni Chowk leading to obstruction of traffic which caused a massive traffic congestion along the central Avenue and Esplanade area. During the clash, Additional Officer in charge (Addl. OC) of Hare Street Police Station, Srabanti Ghosh suffered an injury on her hand. She reportedly alleged that her hands were twisted by the junior doctors deliberately. The junior doctors alleged that the police snatched away the ignition keys of the two small goods vehicles that were being used by them. Later due to protest, police returned the keys and the goods vehicles were brought near the hunger strike spot.

It is also alleged that police deliberately created a massive traffic congestion in the Esplanade area by taking away the keys of several vehicles, including buses and an oil tanker. However, the rally planned by the junior doctor did not materialise till last reports came in.