RG Kar crime anniversary Kolkata Police summons BJP MLA for 'threatening' policemen

    Kolkata, Aug 12 (PTI) The Kolkata Police on Tuesday issued summons to BJP MLA and former India cricketer Ashok Dinda and five leaders of the saffron party to appear before it for allegedly threatening policemen during protests to mark the completion of one year of the RG Kar hospital crime last week, an officer said.
    Five BJP leaders - Sajal Ghosh, Tamaghna Ghosh, Bhola Shankar, Kushal Pandey and Kamaljit Singh - were also sent summons, he said..
    "Dinda, during Saturday's rally, threatened our officers and provoked others to assault our on-duty officers. He also assaulted a guard of an IAS officer. He has been summoned to appear before the New Market Police Station on August 17," the officer told PTI.
    Video footage of Dinda allegedly threatening and abusing the police officers was seized, he said.
    "Days are not far away when police will also be beaten up badly. I am clearly saying that if our party leadership gives a go-ahead, we will beat up police personnel in such a manner that they will have to hide behind the 'achal' (loose end of a saree) of Mamata Banerjee.
    "We were rallying peacefully and the police lathi-charged us without any reason...Yes, I am an MLA, and I am saying this," Dinda was seen speaking to a news channel on August 9.
    Chaos and violent agitation dominated the streets of Kolkata and adjacent Howrah on Saturday, a day that marked the completion of one year of the rape and murder of the doctor at the state-run hospital.
    Seven cases -- five by the Kolkata Police and two by the Howrah Police -- have been registered for allegedly obstructing security personnel from performing their duties, assaulting them and causing damage to public properties during a march to the West Bengal secretariat on August 9.
    Other than Dinda, the police registered cases against BJP MLA Agnimitra Paul and another party leader Kaustav Bagchi.
    Four FIRs have been registered at the New Market Police Station and one in Hare Street police station under the jurisdiction of Kolkata Police against some leaders and supporters of a political party, the officer said.
    Cases were filed at the New Market Police Station for creating a ruckus at a 'Rakhi' stall of a political party, assaulting a police constable, vandalising the office of a hawkers' union, and damaging the camera of a media person.
    At a press conference, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central) Indira Mukherjee, Joint Commissioner (Headquarters) Miraj Khalid briefed the media and alleged that police were attacked at multiple points during the rally, following which the police also retaliated.
    A total of five police personnel were injured in the incident, Khalid said, adding that no official permission was sought for the 'Nabanna Abhijan'.
    The Kolkata Police became aware of the planned march through social media and, in compliance with the Calcutta High Court's directives, they had designated specific areas where the rally could be held, he said.
    The police claimed that the direction of the rally was suddenly changed near Dorina Crossing.
    "Instead of following the designated route, the procession started moving towards Chowringhee. Around 500 people had gathered at the location. When the police tried to block their path, the rally participants attacked the police. The police were then forced to retaliate to defend themselves," he said.
    The police-protesters face-off took place in phases and at multiple points during the August 9 'Nabanna Chalo Abhiyan', a march to the state secretariat demanding "justice" for the RG Kar victim, which had at least three converging processions of agitators in both Kolkata and Howrah.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)