A police officer, Debasish Chakraborty, serving in the Cyber Cell of the West Bengal Police’s East Division, was severely injured during the ‘Nabanna Abhijan’ protest rally on August 27. The rally, organized by the Paschim Banga Chhatra Samaj, turned violent as protesters clashed with police, resulting in serious injuries to Chakraborty, among others.
Debasish Chakraborty’s Injury: A Family’s Nightmare
Debasish Chakraborty was on duty with his team near 11 Furlong Gate but was later reassigned to Strand Road via Kingsway (Eden Gardens) when violence erupted. A group of protesters, consisting of both male and female students, began throwing stones at the police vehicles. During the chaos, a brick struck Chakraborty in the left eye, causing significant damage.
Chakraborty is currently undergoing treatment at Shankar Nethralaya, and there are discussions about transferring him to Hyderabad for further medical care. His wife, Debarati, rushed to the hospital upon hearing the news, only to find her husband’s eye severely injured. Despite the gravity of the situation, she remains hopeful for his recovery.
The Personal Toll on Police Families
Debarati expressed her anguish over the incident, highlighting the risks that police officers face daily. “A lot of people say a lot of things about police, but our husbands take a risk and work. We haven’t come from any other planet, the police also have family, children. We are also human beings,” she said, emphasizing the human cost behind the uniform.
Their five-year-old son, unaware of the severity of the situation, believes his father is away on duty and will return home soon. Debarati has been at the hospital constantly, hoping to safeguard her husband’s vision. Despite the support from the state government and the police department, she remains deeply worried about his future.
Legal Action and Community Response
In the wake of the violence and injuries sustained by Debasish Chakraborty and other officers, the Kolkata Police have initiated legal action against the protesters. The police community is shaken by the incident, with fellow officer Aloke Sanyal taking to social media to demand justice for Chakraborty.
BJP Calls for 12-Hour Bangla Bandh in Response
In response to the “brutal” police action against what they described as “peaceful” protesters during the Nabanna Abhijan, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) called for a 12-hour Bangla bandh on August 28. The bandh was a protest against the alleged excessive force used by the police during the rally, which was organized to demand the resignation of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
The protesters, led by the Paschim Banga Chhatra Samaj, were attempting to reach the state secretariat, Nabanna, to voice their demands following the alleged rape and murder of a doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital earlier in August. The protest escalated into a violent confrontation, leading to injuries on both sides and widespread chaos on the streets of Kolkata.
