Protest over assault of pregnant tribal woman turns violent in Bengal's Siliguri

Siliguri, Feb 26 (PTI) Protesters clashed with the police in northern West Bengal's Siliguri city on Thursday during a demonstration over the assault of a pregnant tribal woman.

Members of the RSS-backed Janjati Suraksha Manch were on the way to gherao Uttarkanya, the branch secretariat of the state government. The clash broke out when they attempted to breach the police barricades near the Tin Batti Mor.

Police said they used tear gas shells and water cannons to disperse the demonstrators, besides a "mild" lathi charge.

Several protesters were detained from the site, they said.

The demonstrators were demanding capital punishment for a civic volunteer accused of assaulting the woman whose unborn child died.

The incident happened on December 23, when a land dispute in the Phansidewa area led to an altercation between two groups. During the altercation, the woman was allegedly assaulted by the civic volunteer, according to police.

The accused civic volunteer has been arrested, but the demonstrators allege that four other persons involved in the incident are still at large. PTI BSM SOM