A protest erupted in Siliguri, West Bengal, following an incident where a tribal pregnant woman was reportedly beaten by a civic volunteer, leading to the tragic death of her unborn child. The tribal community members gathered at the ‘Uttarkanya,’ a branch Secretariat of the West Bengal government in north Bengal, to voice their outrage. Tensions escalated when the protesters attempted to breach a police barricade, resulting in clashes with law enforcement.
The confrontation between the tribal protesters and the police intensified, prompting the authorities to resort to using tear gas shells and water cannons to disperse the crowd. The incident stemmed from a dispute over land acquisition that had sparked unrest a month earlier near Siliguri. The pregnant woman, allegedly assaulted by a civic volunteer named Mohammad Kader, later suffered the loss of her unborn child, inciting further anger within the tribal community.
Demanding justice, the protesters called for severe punishment for the accused civic volunteer, leading to a significant police presence to maintain order. Despite the initial tensions, the situation eventually came under control, with a senior officer from the Siliguri Police Commissionerate confirming the restoration of calm. The West Bengal Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) also denounced the incident and urged for exemplary action against the perpetrator.
