Kolkata, August 27 — In response to the rape and murder of a doctor at RGKOR Hospital, Kolkata, a massive protest march is set to head towards the West Bengal State Secretariat, 'Nabanna Bhavan,' today. Security around Howrah has been intensified in anticipation of the protest, with police, RAF, and combat forces deployed and large barricades erected at several key points in the city.

Barricades have been strategically placed at Santragachi, Howrah Maidan, Foreshore Road, Laxminarayan Tala, and Mandirtala. The streets surrounding the Nabanna building have also been fortified with barriers. Authorities have prepared water cannons and drones for crowd control. Security is being overseen by police officers of IG, DIG, and SP ranks, with 2,100 police personnel, including officers from various police commissionerates such as Kolkata, deployed to maintain order.

Kolkata Police has announced traffic controls on multiple roads from 4 am to 10 pm today. The roads affected include Vidyasagar Setu, Khidirpur Road, Taratala Road, Circular Gardenrich Road, Hyde Road, Jawaharlal Nehru Road, RR Avenue, Red Road, Dufferin Road, Mayo Road, AJC Bose Road, SN Banerjee Road, MG Road, Brabourne Road, and Howrah Bridge.

West Bengal ADG (South Bengal) Supratim Sarkar and ADG (Law and Order) Manoj Verma stated in a press conference on Monday that the protest march is unauthorized as the organizers did not obtain the required permissions from the police, despite two organizations sending emails about the Nabanna campaign. Nevertheless, the West Bengal Students' Association has announced that the march will proceed peacefully towards Nabanna Bhavan, with participants carrying only national flags and not party flags.

Leaders and workers from various BJP-affiliated organizations are expected to join the campaign. However, Trinamool Students' Council state president Trinankur Mukhopadhyay has confirmed that no members of the Trinamool party will participate.

The protest follows a call by state students on August 21 for the 'Nabanna Chalo' campaign, demanding the resignation of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over the Rjikar scandal. West Bengal opposition leader and BJP MLA Shuvendu Adhikari has voiced support for this campaign.

Under the banner of the West Bengal Students' Association, there is a call for participation, urging at least one person from every household to join the protest, stressing that the march should remain peaceful and that the police should support them.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has responded to the political tension by stating, "Many people are trying and conspiring to overthrow the government after seeing Bangladesh. Our government is the elected government of the people."

The controversy has heightened since the rape and murder of a postgraduate second-year student at RGKOR Hospital on August 9. It is alleged that the student, on duty as a trainee doctor, was raped and murdered while on a break. The body was discovered by cleaning staff the following morning, sparking protests among junior and senior doctors who allege foul play and demand a judicial inquiry.

Dr. Sandeep Ghosh, the hospital's principal, resigned three days after the incident amidst mounting pressure. However, the state health department swiftly reassigned him as the principal of the National Medical College of Kolkata, sparking further outrage and protests at the National Medical College.

Dr. Ghosh has since been arrested and taken to the CBI Complex in Salt Lake, Kolkata, where he is being questioned. The case has stirred widespread public anger, with calls for justice and demands for an impartial post-mortem and judicial investigation into the alleged rape and murder.

The deceased student, originally from Sodpur in North 24 Parganas district, was pursuing a postgraduate degree in Chest Medicine at RG Kar Medical College and was in her second year. She was the only child of her parents, and her tragic death has sparked a significant movement among the medical community and general public, demanding justice and accountability.