Kolkata Turns Into Battlefield As BJP Workers Clash With Police, HC Seeks Report From Govt. Top Updates

Nabanna Chalo March Highlights: BJP workers clashed with police who retaliated with water cannons and tear gas shells to disperse them as Kolkata resembled a battlefield on Tuesday.

The Calcutta High Court sought a report from the West Bengal Home Secretary after BJP's protest march to the state secretariat, called 'Nabanna Cholo' rally, over alleged corruption by the ruling Mamata Banerjee government in Kolkata turned violent on Tuesday. 

Saffron party workers clashed with police who retaliated with water cannons and tear gas shells to disperse them.

Several police officers and BJP leaders, including Mina Devi Purohit and Swapan Dasgupta, were reportedly injured in the chaos, PTI reported. BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar and Leader of Opposition in Bengal Assembly Suvendu Adhikari were among a host of leaders detained during the march, one of the saffron party's biggest campaigns since its 2021 election defeat.

BJP's 'Nabanna Cholo Abhijan' In Kolkata: Latest Updates

• The Calcutta High Court sought a report from West Bengal Home Secretary by September 19 over the chaos during BJP's 'Nabanna Chalo' march. The HC also directed the police not to "illegally" detain any person and also ensure that there was no damage to public property.


• Thousands of BJP supporters from across Bengal started arriving in Kolkata and neighbouring Howrah to take part in the saffron party's protest march to state secretariat 'Nabanna' over alleged corruption by the ruling Trinamool Congress government.


• The march took a violent turn after police stopped the protesters from progressing towards 'Nabanna' and put up barricades at several points in the city and its adjoining areas.


• Violent protesters clashed with the police in Howrah, Kolkata's Lalbazar and MG Road areas. In Lalbazar, which houses the Kolkata Police Headquarters, a police vehicle was set on fire.


• In Santragachhi, BJP workers picked up stones from the tracks of the railway station and pelted towards the police. A police kiosk was also damaged.


• Normal life was disrupted in Kolkata amid the protests and road transport was hit. The traffic at Kona Expressway, adjacent to Santragachhi, got totally disrupted, with a large number of vehicles, including some ambulances ferrying critical patients, getting stranded.


• The police retaliated by using tear gas and water cannons to disperse the agitators. Some of the police personnel were also injured in the clashes.


• Leader of Opposition in Bengal Assembly Suvendu Adhikari, BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar, the party's Hooghly MP Locket Chatterjee and senior leader Rahul Sinha were among those detained during the march.


• Suvendu Adhikari claimed that more than 200 BJP workers were injured. "Hands and feet of many (BJP) workers were broken, more than 200 workers were injured. We'll fight against this," ANI quoted Adhikari as saying.


• The TMC, in a tweet, said, "BJP4Bengal karyakartas or hooligans?" "Destroying and damaging government property, attacking police personnel, causing chaos and disrupting peace across the state -- today's activities of BJP that brought shame upon the entire nation. We strongly condemn such outrageous behaviour," TMC said.