Doctor murder: BJP activists stage protests at police stations across West Bengal

Kolkata, Aug 23 (PTI) BJP activists on Friday staged protests across West Bengal, gheraoing police stations and raising slogans to protest the rape-murder of a woman doctor at a state-run hospital in Kolkata.

In North 24 Parganas district’s Ghola, leader of opposition Suvendu Adhikari led a demonstration outside the local police station demanding the resignation of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, accusing her of failing to protect women at state hospitals and shielding those responsible for the crime.

Adhikari criticised Banerjee for allegedly trying to cover up the crime and for her instructions to her party MLA and Barrackpore police commissionerate to expedite the cremation of the victim’s body.

"We demand immediate resignation of the CM as she had failed to look after both home and health departments. She had actively tried to hush up the matter and instructed her party MLA and Barrackpore police commissionerate and to cremate the body at the earliest. Two high ranking Kolkata Police officers were present at the cremation despite the place not falling under their jurisdiction," Adhikari said.

He added that the BJP would continue to protest across the state to uphold women’s dignity and safety.

"In cases of protests by members of civil society organisations and ordinary citizens, students and youth, we will participate as citizens in our own individual capacity without party flag," he said.

In Purba Medinipur district, over 500 BJP workers, including many women, forcefully entered Nandigram police station, breaching barricades and clashing with police and RAF personnel. The protesters, who raised slogans inside the police station, later exited the premises. The police temporarily locked the police station gates and the road in front was blocked by the demonstrators before they dispersed.

Nandigram, historically known for the TMC’s anti-land acquisition movement of 2007-08, is a stronghold of Suvendu Adhikari, who switched from the ruling Trinamool Congress to the BJP in 2020 and won the assembly seat in 2021, defeating Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

Similar protests also took place at various police stations, including those in Chinsurah, Siuri, New Jalpaiguri, Bankura, Midnapore, and Barabani.

The protests were part of a statewide 'thana gherao' programme organised by the BJP to express discontent with the ruling party over issues related to women’s safety. PTI SUS ACD MNB