On Tuesday (15th October) evening, the Kolkata Police arrested an on-duty doctor participating in the West Bengal government’s Durga Puja Carnival because he was wearing a badge supporting the protesting junior doctors.
As a member of the medical team from Kolkata Municipal Corporation, Dr Tapabrata Roy was assigned to emergency duty during the Durga Puja Carnival on Red Road from 2 pm.
He was arrested by the police and brought to the Maidan police station for reportedly wearing a badge that read “Justice for Abhaya” and “Pratiki Anasan (Symbolic hunger strike).” He is a medical officer with KMC’s urban primary health centre 123. He was released four hours later following a demonstration organized by a group of doctors and others.
He mentioned that after being escorted off by the authorities, his phone was confiscated. “I kept asking why I was being taken to the police station, but cops could not cite any reason. They made me sign an arrest warrant while being released. I have been on a symbolic fast as a response to the call by the IMA (Indian Medical Association). I believe my wearing the badge was the reason for this harassment,” Ray unveiled.
According to a protesting doctor, he called them and informed them about the instance. “I asked him to share his live location, but his mobile phone was taken away. We managed to track his GPS and could locate it outside the Maidan police station after which we reached there. Police are not cooperating with us and not giving us the details on charges for which he has been detained,” the media reports stated.
“We protest the detention of the doctor which is completely unethical. People who were part of the ‘Droher Carnival’ are going to Maidan police station to protest and free him,” another demonstrator named Dr Kinjal Nanda expressed. He declared that until the doctor was released, they would keep staging protests in front of the Maidan police station. However, Ray was let go by the authorities after the protest intensified.
Junior doctors staged their “Droher Carnival” (protest carnival) from Rani Rashmoni Road in the city’s Esplanade neighbourhood. This came just after the Calcutta High Court overturned restrictions on some places close to the Durga Puja Carnival on Red Road. People from all walks of life joined doctors at the march to demand justice for the 32-year-old RG Kar Medical College and Hospital trainee doctor who was brutally raped and murdered on 9th August.
Police action on peaceful protesters
Notably, the police under Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee have been trying to quell the protests even by violent means. A protest march named “Nabanna Abhijan” was organised by the student group Paschim Banga Chhatra Samaj and the dissident state government employees’ platform Sangrami Joutha Mancha on 27th August.
The demonstrators marched in the direction of the state secretariat building, demanding the resignation of Mamata Banerjee for her failure to take decisive action against the perpetrators in the case. However, in order to drive away peaceful protestors and prevent them from reaching the State Secretariat, the Kolkata Police employed water cannons, lathi charges and tear gas cannons, wounding several students.
A day after the Kolkata Police targeted the protesters, the leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party in West Bengal, announced a 12-hour strike on 28th August. However, in the midst of the “Bangla Bandh,” many BJP leaders and party supporters were attacked by All India Trinamool Congress (AITC or TMC) members in the presence of authorities. Bombs were thrown and bullets were fired at the opposition leaders, resulting in critical injuries as the cops acted like mute spectators.
Months have passed since the trainee doctor in Kolkata was raped and killed, sparking demonstrations throughout West Bengal. The government’s will to use excessive force to suppress protests, suspicious conduct and the case’s lack of progress have all contributed to the agitation. The state government and police were also slammed by the Supreme Court and High Court for their dubious response and negligence in the case.
