Kolkata: The police on Tuesday resorted to a "mild lathi-charge" and arrested over 20 ABVP activists after a scuffle between them during a march to the West Bengal health department headquarters to protest against the alleged rape and murder of an RG Kar Hospital medic.
The protestors demanded the resignation of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee who also doubles up as the state's health and home minister.
The police had put up barricades at several roads leading to Swasthya Bhavan, which the ABVP activists tried to breach, a senior officer said.
"We have only one demand - the resignation of the chief minister. What happened at the (RG Kar) hospital is unthinkable," a woman ABVP activist said.
The body of a post-graduate trainee, who was allegedly raped and murdered, was found in the seminar room of the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9, triggering nationwide outrage. A civic volunteer was arrested in connection with the case the next day.
The police resorted to lathi-charge to disperse the protestors and arrested over 20 ABVP activists including its national secretary Rahul Rana.
"Among those arrested, there were four women," a senior police officer of Bidhannagar Police Commissionerate said.
The healthcare services were severely affected at state-run hospitals across West Bengal as junior doctors began a cease-work from August 9 demanding justice for the victim and stronger security measures in medical establishments. Their agitation entered the 12th day on Tuesday.
On August 13, the Calcutta High Court ordered the transfer of the probe from the Kolkata Police to the CBI, which began its investigation from the next day.
A mob entered the hospital and vandalised the emergency department, nursing station, and medicine store, while also damaging CCTV cameras in the early hours of August 15.
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