Eastern India Faces Transport Disruptions Due to Protester Blockades

KOLKATA - On Wednesday, demonstrators obstructed train tracks, halted bus services, and chanted slogans in the eastern Indian state of West Bengal. This marks the latest episode in ongoing protests triggered by the rape and murder of a trainee doctor. On Tuesday, police used tear gas and water cannons to disperse protesters who were advancing towards the state secretariat.

In response, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which is the opposition in the state, called for a 12-hour statewide strike on Wednesday, condemning what they described as police brutality. Thousands of demonstrators, predominantly BJP supporters, blocked roads and railway tracks and compelled businesses to close on Wednesday, while officials prepared for continued demonstrations throughout the day.

A senior police officer indicated that 5,000 police personnel were deployed to manage potential violence across West Bengal.

On Tuesday, many of the protesters, including university students, were demanding the resignation of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. They criticized her handling of the August 9th rape and murder of a 31-year-old doctor at a government hospital in Kolkata, which had intensified their calls for action.

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