Kolkata, Aug 8 The Kolkata police and the West Bengal Police, on Friday, suggested an alternative location for the protest rally convened by the parents of the R.G. Kar rape and murder victim on August 9, which marks the first anniversary of the rape and murder of a junior woman doctor within the hospital premises in August last year.
The parents of the victim had given a call for "Nabanna Avijan (March to the State Secretariat)".
On Thursday evening, a division bench of the Calcutta High Court refused to impose a ban on the said rally but also observed that if the state administration wanted, they could suggest an alternative venue for a peaceful demonstration instead of the State Secretariat.
In a press conference on Friday afternoon, addressed by four senior officers of the Kolkata police and West Bengal Police and led by the Kolkata Police Commissioner Manoj Kumar Verma, the police officers said they would not be permitting the "March to State Secretariat" and instead suggested two alternative places for the peaceful demonstration.
One of the alternative venues, as suggested by the police, was the Santragachi Bus Stand in Kolkata -- adjacent Howrah district, which is located a distance from Mandirtala in the same district where the State Secretariat is located.
The second alternative venue, as suggested by the police officers, was Rani Rashmoni Road in Kolkata.
"The organisers of the protest rally had not sought any permission from the police for the rally. Whatever we came to know was from the media reports. So, in such a situation, we are not permitting the 'March to the State Secretariat' rally and suggesting alternative places for the same. If the rally is conducted at any place other than the venues suggested by the police, necessary action will be taken," the Additional Director General (South Bengal) of West Bengal Police, Supratim Sarkar, said.
Kolkata Police Commissioner has said that the police officers were also not permitting the proposed protest march from Hazra crossing in South Kolkata to Kalighat, near Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's residence.
"We have informed the organisers about our decision," Verma added.
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