BJP workers scuffle with police during protest march

Scuffles broke out on Thursday between police personnel and BJP supporters during a march in the eastern fringes of the city to protest against the alleged rape and murder of a woman doctor at R G Kar Medical College and Hospital earlier this month.

The BJP's march to 'Swasthya Bhawan', the headquarters of the state health department in Salt Lake, began from Hudco crossing, around five km away.

The state BJP had announced its leaders will gherao 'Swasthya Bhawan'.

During the rally led by its state president Sukanta Majumdar and Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari tried to break police barricades set up at several places on the route while marching to the state health department.

The police initially tried to pacify the supporters but later chased them with lathis to disperse them.

Adhikari was detained by the police and put inside a prison van, following which the BJP activists tried to forcibly free him from the van.

The BJP workers shouted slogans like "We want justice" and "Mamata Banerjee, resign".

"We want the truth to come out. The state government and the state health department are trying to hide the truth. The state health department and R G Kar Hospital authorities tried to destroy evidence (of the crime)," BJP leader Dilip Ghosh said.