Jadavpur: Left leaders detained during protest against bulldozing of hawkers’ structures

Several protesters, including Left leaders, were detained on Sunday while protesting a demolition drive near Jadavpur railway station in Kolkata, the Hindustan Times Bangla reported.

The railway authorities brought in several bulldozers to demolish allegedly illegal shanties and shops along Jadavpur Station Road. The Left and the Congress leaders were among the crowd that had gathered at the site to protest the demolitions. The demonstrations continued past midnight.

This was the second attempt to carry out the demolition in the area. During an earlier drive, protesters had gathered at the site and shouted slogans, following which the bulldozers had been withdrawn, The Hindu reported.

On Sunday, some protesters lay in front of the bulldozers while others climbed onto it in an attempt to stop the drive, the Hindustan Times Bangla reported.

A large number of personnel from the police, central forces and Rapid Action Force were deployed at the site.

As the protests intensified, the police lathi-charged the demonstrators, including students, and detained several persons, The Hindu reported. Among those detained was Students’ Federation of India leader Srijan Bhattacharyya.

The Left and Congress alleged that the eviction drive was carried out without rehabilitating those affected and had violated court’s directions.

Following the detention and the alleged lathi-charge, Students’ Federation of India supporters held a dharna near Jadavpur University, The Telegraph reported.

Since the Bharatiya Janata Party government came to power in...

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