Kolkata Rape Case Highlights: Clashes Erupt During Nabanna Abhijan, CBI Seeks Polygraph Test For Police ASI

BJP Chief JP Nadda on Tuesday slammed the police's alleged highhandedness in Kolkata in handling protestors who were agitating against the rape-murder of a trainee doctor, saying "in Didi's West Bengal, to help rapists and criminals is valued".

“The images of police highhandedness from Kolkata have angered every person who values democratic principles. In Didi's West Bengal, to help rapists and criminals is valued but it's a crime to speak for women's safety," Nadda said in a post on X.

The West Bengal police on Tuesday said 94 people have been arrested because of the rally in Nabanna. About 25 of them were arrested overnight, they said.

"In the context of the peaceful protest announced by the student community of West Bengal and the reported suppression of the protest by certain instructions from the government, I would urge upon the government to remember the strong pronouncement of the Supreme Court of India. Let not the power of the state of West Bengal be unleashed on peaceful protesters. Democracy can have a silent majority, not a silenced majority. Remember that," stated Governor Ananda Bose as he took note of the lathi charge and tear gas shelling at student protestors on Tuesday.

The BJP demanded the release of students arrested during a march towards state secretariat Nabanna on Tuesday demanding resignation of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in the wake of the alleged rape and murder of a doctor.

"The (BJP) state president demanded unconditional release of the students who were arrested from various locations during the march to Nabanna," a party state leader said.

"The next course of action will be decided after a response from Lalbazar," he said.

CBI seeks court permission to conduct polygraph test on Kolkata Police ASI Anup Dutta in doctor rape-murder case

The protests across Kolkata have taken a turn for the violent. Protestors break police barricades, chant slogans, and agitate over the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital rape-murder case.

The BJP have called for a 24 hour strike on AUgust 28 - 'Bangla Bandh'. While official confirmation is required as to what remains closed and open, essential services such as medical care, drinking water, public transport, rail services, and electricity are expected to function normally.

Bengal government said it will ensure normal life is not affected by BJP’s 12-hour general strike on Wednesday. BJP called for a 12-hour general strike in West Bengal on August 28 to protest against the police action on those who took part in the march to state secretariat Nabbana on Tuesday.

The police used batons, tear gas and water cannons to disperse the crowd who proceeded to Nabanna.

They were demanding the resignation of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in the wake of the alleged rape and murder of a woman doctor in a state-run hospital earlier this month.

On Nabanna Abhijan protest in Kolkata, Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury asked what was the need for "excessive arrangements" to stop the protest.

"I am not able to understand why excessive arrangements have been made to prevent the protest?.. Restrictions have been imposed at various locations...The opposition and ruling party should sit together to ensure that the protest takes place peacefully," Chowdhury said.

Fresh clashes broke out between police and protestors on GT Road in Howrah Maidan area when they tried to march towards the state secretariat as a part of their 'Nabanna Abhijaan' on Tuesday afternoon.

Police lathi-charged and used water cannons and tear gas to disperse protestors who threw stones and bricks at the security forces and attempted to topple barricades blocking their way to the state secretariat.

A policeman, who identified himself as the in-charge of Chanditala police station in Howrah Police Commissionerate, was injured in the clash.

A similar situation unfolded in Hastings and MG Road area, where protesters threw stones at police, who were seen chasing them away.

BJP president JP Nadda reacted to the clashes between Nabanna Abhijan protesters and police personnel in Kolkata and said the "images of police highhandedness" from the city "have angered every person who values democratic principles."

Hitting out at West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, JP Nadda said, "In Didi's West Bengal, to help rapists and criminals is valued but it's a crime to speak for women's safety."

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has called a 12-hour general strike in West Bengal on Wednesday to protest police action on participants of march to state secretariat.

Accusing West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of shielding those involved in the rape and murder of a trainee doctor in Kolkata, the BJP on Tuesday called her a “dictator” and demanded her resignation to ensure a fair probe into the matter.

The BJP has also demanded that the CBI conduct a polygraph test on CM Mamata Banerjee and Police Commissioner Vineet Goel, who the party alleged had initially said that the victim died by suicide.

The BJP condemned the incident of lathi charge by the West Bengal Police on the students, who had taken out a rally in Kolkata demanding justice for the victim and the chief minister's resignation.

Visuals from Fort William where protesters are staging demonstration over RG Kar Medical College and Hospital rape-murder case.

Near Howrah Bridge, protestors were seen breaking away Police barricades, stomping on them and chanting slogans while seeking justice for the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital rape-murder case.

Protestors were seen sitting on the road and raising slogans at Mahatma Gandhi Road in Kolkata as they protest over the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital rape-murder case.

Fresh clashes erupted between the police and the protestors seeking justice in the RG Kar Hospital on GT Road in Howrah Maidan near Bengal State Secretariat Nabanna.

Police on Tuesday fired teargas shells amid stone pelting by protesters during the 'Nabanna Abhijan' rally.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday filed money laundering case to probe the alleged 'financial irregularities' at Kolkata's R G Kar Medical College and Hospital. As of now, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has been in-charge of the investigation.

With heavy usage of water cannons by police, clashes continue to intensify in Kolkata during the protest rally Nabanna Abhijan seeking resignation of CM Mamata Banerjee in the recent RG Kar Hospital incident.

On Tuesday, Police resorted to water cannons in a bid to disperse the protestors from Howrah Bridge. A 'Nabanna Abhiyan' march has been called today over RG Kar Medical College and Hospital rape-murder case.

While carrying out the Nabanna Abhijan in Kolkata, protestors were seen climbing atop Police barricades while clashing with Police personnel and breaking away the barricades at Santragachi in Howrah.

Student organisations begin their 'Nabanna Abhijan' rally amid heavy police deployment in Kolkata. Paschim Banga Chhatra Samaj and the Sangrami Joutha Mancha are holding the 'Nabanna Abhijan' rally despite the administration's declaration of the event as illegal.

In a bid to stop the students seeking justice, barricades on Howrah Bridge are being welded together as a security measure. A march to Nabanna has been called today over RG Kar Medical College and Hospital rape-murder case.

Answering questions on CBI probe, Medical Superintendent cum Vice Principal (MSVP), RG Kar Medical College & Hospital, Saptarshi Chatterjee said, "...The CBI team came to my office to see all the documents and computers, hard disc. They seized and took away all the items and gave us a seizure list... I went to the CGO complex yesterday to authenticate my signature which was already there on all the documents... Every day we talk to students and the faculty members are giving their best so that patients do not have to suffer. I think RG Kar is gradually coming back to normal life as the patient's footfall which was around 100 has now crossed 1000. All the departments including OPD and Emergency are functional."

In an attempt to likely thwart protesters from scaling the barricades, the gates at the backside of Kolkata's Fort William at Hastings are being greased by civic volunteers ahead of the protest march to Nabanna.

Security has been tightened with barricading in place at Kolkata's Santragachi in Howrah ahead of a protest march to Nabanna called over RG Kar Medical College and Hospital rape-murder case.

Paschim Banga Chhatra Samaj and the Sangrami Joutha Mancha are set to hold their 'Nabanna Abhijan' rally today, despite the administration's declaration of the event as illegal.

Accused's polygraph test, raids by the Central Bureau of Investigation on the premises of former principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital Sandip Ghosh, a march to the state secretariat - Nabanna Abhijan - and series of protest programmes announced by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are among the latest developments in the alleged Kolkata doctor rape and murder case, which the CBI is probing.

According to sources cited in an indiatoday.in report, Sanjay Roy detailed his movements on the night of the crime during his polygraph test. Roy, as per the report, admitted to visiting two red light areas in Kolkata but not having sex. He also confessed to molesting a woman in the street, an act that was captured on CCTV cameras, the sources cited in the report said. Roy also reportedly said that he had a video call with his girlfriend and asked her for photos. Sources cited in a Times of India report said Roy claimed during the test that the victim was already dead when he spotted her, and that he ran away in fear. READ FULL REPORT HERE

Right ahead of the protest march, heavy police deployment can be seen at Khidirpur Bridge. The protest rally has been called by student organisation 'Paschim Banga Chhatra Samaj' and the 'Sangrami Joutha Mancha' over alleged rape and murder of a doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.

In a video message released by the Raj Bhavan late Monday evening, Governor CV Ananda Bose urged the state government not to use power to stop the students from organising the rally.

"In the context of the peaceful protest announced by the students' community of West Bengal tomorrow and the reported suppression of the protest by several instructions from the government, I would urge the government to remember the strong pronouncement of the Supreme Court of India. Let not the power of the state of West Bengal be unleashed on peaceful protestors," Bose said.

The rally to the state secretariat is focused on demanding the resignation of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and the arrest of those implicated in the alleged rape and murder of a doctor at RG Kar Hospital.

Paschim Banga Chhatra Samaj is an unregistered student group, while Sangrami Joutha Mancha represents state government employees who are advocating for their Dearness Allowance (DA) to be aligned with that of Central government employees.

Several teams of security personnel deployed across Kolkata in wake of a march to Nabanna, called over RG Kar Medical College and Hospital rape-murder case.

Answering questions on today's Nabanna Abhijan by the student outfit, TMC leader Kunal Ghosh said, “This is sponsored and supported by BJP and other anti-Bengal forces. They want to create anarchy.”

Commenting on the current scenario concerning the safety of women healthcare professionals, Trained Nurse's Association of India (TNAI) President Dr Roy K George said, "Definitely, there is concern over the safety of nurses because 90 per cent of them are women who work 24 hours in hospitals and healthcare settings. We have taken up the issue with the health minister and Chief Justice of India. We need safety for health workers especially women health workers."

Taking to their X handle, Kolkata Police earlier posted, “August 27, Tuesday, is the day when several candidates are scheduled to take the UGC-NET exam from 9.30 am to 12.30 pm and again from 3 pm to 6 pm. An organisation calling itself ‘Paschimbanga Chhatra Samaj’ has called for a ‘Nabanna Abhiyan’ on the same day. We have ensured adequate police presence on the roads so that no UGC-NET candidate has difficulty reaching their examination centres. In case of any emergency, candidates are requested to seek help from the nearest police personnel, contact the nearest police station.”

West Bengal Police said that Tuesday’s march to state secretariat Nabanna is “illegal”, since the organisers were not permitted to hold the rally to press for their demand for the resignation of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in the wake the alleged rape and murder of a doctor.

"We have learned about the 'Nabanna Abhijan' rally through various media channels and social media. To date, neither any individual nor organisation has applied for permission, making the event illegal,” ADG (Law and Order) Manoj Verma said.

In a significant development, the polygraph test conducted on the prime accused civic volunteer Sanjay Roy reportedly flagged several false and unconvincing answers.

As per reports, during the test, Roy said the woman doctor was already dead when he reached the seminar hall of the RG Kar hospital where the body was found on August 9.

The students' group Pashchimbanga Chatra Samaj on Monday said it was determined to march to the state secretariat Nabanna on Tuesday, seeking justice for the rape and murder of the doctor at RG Kar hospital and demanding the resignation of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

Addressing reporters at the Kolkata Press Club on Monday, Chatra Samaj spokesperson Sayan Lahiri said state employees forum Sangrami Joutho Mancha would also join the 'Nabanna Abhijan' programme in solidarity with the demands.

Processions to Nabanna in Howrah would start simultaneously around noon from multiple places -- College Square and Fort William in Kolkata, and Howrah Bridge, Howrah Maidan and Satragachi in Howrah, he said.

• The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has taken former principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital Sandip Ghosh's name in an FIR in connection with the alleged financial irregularities at the medical college during his tenure.

• Section 120B of IPC (criminal conspiracy) along with Section 420 IPC (cheating and dishonesty) and Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (amended in 2018) which covers unlawful acceptance of gratification by a public servant have been slapped by the central probe agency against Ghosh.

This live blog is now closed. As we wrap up our live coverage for the day, here is a look at the latest developments in the Kolkata raoe murder case -

CBI has sought for permission from the High Court to conduct the polygraph test of Kolkata Police ASI.

After the Nabanna Abhijan march turned violent, the BJP has called for a bandh on Wednesday. The opposition party has also called for Mamata Banerjee's resignation amid the outrage over the killing of a 31-year-old trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.

The Bangla Bandh is scheduled for Wednesday and is expected to last from 6 AM to 6 PM. Here is the list of what's open and closed during the strike.

As per Kolkata police, a total of 94 people have been arrested because of the rally in Nabanna. About 25 of them were arrested overnight, they said.