Baby Chakraborty | KalimNews | May 18, 2025 | Kolkata : The Bidhannagar Police have filed cases against several individuals involved in the May 16 protest outside Bikash Bhavan, accusing them of multiple serious offenses including rioting, assaulting public servants, destruction of government property, and criminal conspiracy. The protesters, primarily jobless teachers and education staff affected by the cancellation of the 2016 SSC panel, have been summoned to appear at the Bidhannagar North Police Station at 11 a.m. on May 21. The summons warns that failure to appear could result in arrest.
The protest on Thursday turned chaotic as thousands gathered outside the Education Department headquarters in Salt Lake, demanding reinstatement and other remedial action. Demonstrators allegedly broke through the main gate, staged a sit-in, and reportedly confined government staff inside the premises. Law enforcement officials claimed they exercised “minimum force” to disperse the crowd and assist trapped employees, during which a scuffle reportedly broke out.
According to official sources, the police have invoked several sections of the Indian Penal Code including criminal trespass, wrongful restraint and confinement, voluntarily causing hurt to deter a public servant from duty, disobedience to official orders, assault or use of criminal force against public servants, criminal intimidation, and obstructing public functions. Sections under the Prevention of Damage to Public Property (PDPP) Act have also been applied. The summons issued to the protesters stated: “During the course of the investigation, it is revealed that you damaged government property and obstructed the public servant from his lawful duty and threatened the public servant from doing their duty, and there are also reasonable grounds to question you to ascertain facts and circumstances from you in relation to the present investigation.”
In a related move, Kolkata Commissioner of Police Manoj Kumar Verma has directed all police stations under his jurisdiction to stay alert and prepared for similar situations in other parts of the city. He reportedly urged officials to exercise restraint and patience while dealing with protestors, aiming to avoid escalation while maintaining public order.
Meanwhile, the West Bengal Commission for Protection of Child Rights has taken note of the situation and requested a report from Bidhannagar City Police. The commission’s intervention came after visuals emerged of minor students attending open-air classes on the road outside Bikash Bhavan, conducted by the protesting teachers under the banner of ‘Udayan Pandit er Pathshala’.
Protests continued for the fourth consecutive day on Sunday, with displaced teachers staging demonstrations outside the Education Department building. The protestors have remained defiant in the face of legal action. “They are doing all these to intimidate us. But we are not scared and will not stop our protest. They [the state government] did all the corruption, and now the police are issuing summons to us,” said one of the protesting teachers.
With legal proceedings underway and administrative preparations in motion, the situation remains tense as May 21 approaches, when the summoned individuals are expected to appear before the police for questioning.