Kolkata: A Kolkata court on Thursday remanded nine youths, who were arrested for "We want justice" slogans regarding the RG Kar rape-murder incident outside a Durga Puja marquee, to seven days of police custody.
According to a senior police officer, the nine youths, mostly in their 20s while one is just 18, were produced before the Alipore Court this evening.
All nine accused have been sent to police custody until October 17. None of them are junior doctors. They are members of a pro-Naxal student outfit, the officer said.
Police arrested the accused on Wednesday evening from a popular Durga Puja marquee in South Kolkata, where they were distributing leaflets and raising slogans in support of the ongoing junior doctors' protests, demanding justice for the RG Kar hospital victim, an officer said.
The youths were brought to the Kolkata Police headquarters at Lalbazar after being arrested at the Tridhara Sammilani Puja at Deshapriya Park, he added. An agitating junior doctor criticised the police over the arrests.
This is no longer just a protest by doctors. It has now become a larger movement, with common people joining in. The message is clear anyone who raises slogans in support of our movement will be arrested. We condemn this action, the doctor said.
Senior TMC leader Kunal Ghosh stated that while everyone is free to protest, it does not mean they can start agitating anywhere they choose. However, I also believe that the police could have just detained them and then released them. By arresting them and imposing various charges, those looking to create disturbances are gaining attention, he said.
