Bengal Bandh: Security heightened, bus drivers forced to wear helmets amidst escalating protests

In response to the escalating tensions following the tragic murder and alleged sexual assault of a female trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9, security measures have been significantly bolstered across Kolkata. The incident has ignited national outrage, leading to widespread protests, with the BJP calling for a 12-hour 'Bengal Bandh' to condemn what they claim was a heavy-handed police crackdown during the 'Nabanna Abhijan' rally in the state capital.

Anticipating potential violence, the city administration has taken unprecedented steps, including mandating that drivers and conductors of government buses in Kolkata wear helmets as a precautionary measure. This directive was also extended to the North Bengal State Transport Corporation (NBSTC), where bus drivers in Cooch Behar were observed donning helmets while on duty.

Also read: West Bengal faces 12-hour bandh as BJP protests police action at Nabanna

On August 27, the situation reached a boiling point as chaos erupted on the streets of Kolkata. Protesters, determined to march towards the West Bengal State Secretariat, Nabanna, converged at Howrah Bridge, clashing with security personnel. The police responded with tear gas, water cannons, and lathicharge to disperse the crowd. The demonstrators, undeterred, were seen scaling police barricades and dismantling them in the Santragachi area as they pushed forward toward the Secretariat. The volatile standoff has underscored the deepening unrest in the state as public anger continues to mount over the RG Kar Medical College incident.