BJP protests workers' killings; teargas, water cannons bring Kolkata to a standstill
BJP workers launched a massive protest in Kolkata on Wednesday against the killings of party workers. They were met with teargas shells and water cannons fired by Kolkata Police trying to disperse the crowd. The protests have brought Kolkata to a standstill.
In Short
- BJP launched a huge agitation in Kolkata on Wednesday to protest against the recent killings
- Kolkata Police resorted to firing teargas shells and water cannons to disperse the crowd
- The massive protests and clash between BJP and Kolkata Police brought the city to a halt
BJP workers on Wednesday launched a massive protest in the heart of Kolkata to protest against killings of party workers across the state. As huge crowds gathered in Kolkata near the police headquarters, police erected barricades to stop the protests from flaring up.
However, BJP workers still managed to bring down some of the barricades when Kolkata Police personnel, who were deployed in huge numbers, resorted to teargas shelling and used water cannons to disperse the crowd.
BJP workers carrying party flags were seen climbing up barricades set up by Kolkata Police to reach the police headquarters. This is when police shot off the water cannons to disperse the crowd.
#WATCH: Kolkata police baton charge at BJP workers on Bepin Behari Ganguly Street. They were marching towards Lal Bazar protesting against TMC govt. #WestBengal pic.twitter.com/RxIGPSqBGd ANI (@ANI) June 12, 2019
As the water cannons and teargas hit the protesters, the group scattered around the street.
The entire central Kolkata, which is a busy area on a weekday, was barricaded by the police as BJP workers gathered to protest.
Kolkata Police also baton charged BJP workers on Bipin Behari Ganguly Street. BJP workers were marching towards Lal Bazar, protesting against the Trinamool government.
Five BJP Mahila Morcha workers have been detained for violating CRPC Section 144 imposed near the Kolkata Police headquarters.
BJP leaders Kailash Vijayvargiya, Locket Chatterjee and others have withdrawn the protest. The protest was called off after BJP leaders courted a token arrest. They were released immediately.