Activists were marching from Sealdah towards the Bangladeshi Deputy High Commission office in the Beckbagan area when police stopped them, citing restrictions on movement beyond a permitted route.
Kolkata tense as police clash with Hindu groups
Kolkata: A protest by Hindu organizations against the killing of a Hindu youth in Bangladesh turned violent on Tuesday after clashes broke out between demonstrators and police outside the Bangladeshi Deputy High Commission in Kolkata. Several protesters were injured when police resorted to a lathi charge to disperse the crowd.
The protest was organised by groups affiliated with the RSS, including the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), and Hindu Jagran Manch. Activists were marching from Sealdah towards the Bangladeshi Deputy High Commission office in the Beckbagan area when police stopped them, citing restrictions on movement beyond a permitted route.
As protesters attempted to break through police barricades, clashes ensued, prompting the police to carry out a lathi charge to control the situation. Several activists were detained, while some of the injured were taken to nearby hospitals, according to organisers.
The protest march, titled “Hindu Hunkar Padayatra”, was held under the banner of Bangiya Hindu Jagran to condemn the killing of a Hindu youth in Bangladesh and to demand protection for minorities there. A VHP spokesperson alleged that the police used force against what he described as a peaceful demonstration.
The clash led to heavy traffic congestion and heightened tension in Beckbagan and adjoining areas, including Park Circus, for several hours.
Police officials said permission had been granted only for a limited demonstration and that the protesters violated the agreed route, forcing the police to intervene to maintain law and order.
During the protest, demonstrators also burned an effigy of Bangladesh’s Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus and raised slogans demanding justice for the victim and safety for Hindus in Bangladesh.
The protest was sparked by the killing of Dipu Chandra Das, a 25-year-old garment factory worker, who was reportedly lynched in Baluka, Mymensingh district of Bangladesh, on December 18 over alleged blasphemy.
In view of rising tensions, the Kolkata Police deployed additional personnel around the Bangladeshi Deputy High Commission to prevent further disturbances.
