RG Kar case: Victim's father alleges police obstruction ahead of protest march to state secretariat

Kolkata: The father of the doctor, who was raped and murdered in RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, on Saturday alleged that police tried to prevent the family from participating in the protest march to 'Nabanna', the state secretariat, to mark the first anniversary of the brutal incident.

The parents of the deceased doctor urged citizens to join the march to Nabanna, while Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, appealed to BJP workers to participate in the procession without any party flag.

Speaking to reporters, the father claimed that despite having court permission to observe a peaceful rally, multiple attempts were made by police to stop them from joining the march.

"We had to come dodging police at several points to get here," he said, claiming that the obstructions were a violation of their lawful right to join the march.

He joined the protest march to Nabanna.

The police have earmarked two locations for peaceful gatherings — Santragachi bus stand under the Howrah Police Commissionerate and Rani Rashmoni Avenue in central Kolkata — in line with a Calcutta High Court directive, a senior officer said.

Prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) have been imposed in areas adjoining 'Nabanna', while multi-layer barricades were put up at several crossings in the two cities, and vehicular movement on the Howrah Bridge and the Vidyasagar Setu over the Hooghly river has been stopped, the police said.

Police have maintained that security measures were tightened to prevent law-and-order disturbances, warning demonstrators against violence or attempts to breach barricades.