At least 15 CPI(M) workers were injured and six were arrested following a clash with police in the Jadavpur area of South Kolkata during a protest against a hawker eviction drive at the railway station. The clash occurred on Sunday night, leading to protests by the CPI(M)’s student wing, Student’s Federation of India (SFI), outside Jadavpur University campus on Monday. They demanded the release of those arrested, including the general secretary of SFI, Srijan Bhattacharya.
A senior CPI(M) leader alleged that the police resorted to a baton charge during the clash, resulting in injuries to Bhattacharya and another party member, Sujan Chakraborty. Both had to seek medical attention at a local private hospital in Jadavpur. The CPI(M) leader strongly condemned the demolition of shops near Jadavpur station and criticized the government’s actions.
The hawker eviction drive began late Sunday night near Jadavpur Station, where illegal shops and constructions were demolished using bulldozers. A joint protest by the CPI(M)-led Left Front and Congress has been ongoing to oppose the eviction drive. The presence of a large number of police and Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) personnel was noted at the site, with barricades set up.
During his arrest, Bhattacharya criticized the railways for allegedly ignoring court orders and conducting illegal evictions. He also highlighted injuries sustained by others, including theatre activist Joyraj Bhattacharya, during the police action. Another CPI(M) leader questioned the Trinamool Congress’s silence on the issue of hawkers’ eviction, contrasting their response with the CPI(M)’s active resistance.
