BJP protests in Salt Lake over alleged police excesses during Nabanna march

Police have denied the assault allegations; however, the Kolkata police chief said a suo motu investigation would be taken up

- STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE

Kolkata Police Commissioner Manoj Verma has announced an inquiry into allegations that the mother of the RG Kar rape and murder victim was assaulted by police during a protest march to the West Bengal state secretariat, Nabanna, on Saturday.

Speaking after visiting injured police personnel at a city hospital on Sunday, Verma stated that the matter would be "thoroughly investigated".

"Whether the allegation is true or false will be examined. If anyone has indeed assaulted her, we will identify them," he told reporters, adding that police would initiate a suo motu investigation even in the absence of a formal complaint.

The "Nabanna Abhiyan" protest was organised on the first anniversary of the brutal rape and murder of a postgraduate trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College. Although the programme was officially announced by the victim's parents, it saw significant participation from BJP leaders, including MLAs Agnimitra Paul, Joel Murmu, Ashis Biswas, and later joined by Leader of the Opposition in the Bengal Assembly Suvendu Adhikari, Shankar Ghosh, Subrata Thakur, Ashok Dinda, and Niladri Sekhar Dana.