Groups of people demonstrating over the heinous rape and murder of the woman doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Calcutta were attacked in at least two places in the state on Wednesday night.

The demonstrators, who were from different walks of life, alleged that Trinamul Congress supporters had organised the attacks at Mathabhanga in Cooch Behar district and Kanchrapara in North 24-Parganas.

At Mathabhanga, a group of protesters under the banner of the Paschimbanga Ganatanrik Lekhak Shilpi Sangha and Bharatiya Gananatya Sangha — cultural organisations which are known to have Left leanings — assembled in Chowpathi, a prominent crossing of the town. They daubed graffiti on the road and resorted to a demonstration, seeking justice for the victim’s family.

“During the demonstration, some TMC supporters reached the area and tried to wash the graffiti off the road. When we protested, they became violent and assaulted some of us,” said Pradyut Saha, one of the protesters.

Police arrived and controlled the situation.

Sandip Garai, the additional superintendent of police of Mathabhanga, said the dispute cropped up as some individuals raised protests against graffiti, which they claimed was derogatory.

Left Front leaders and supporters take out a march in Raiganj on Thursday, demanding justice for the family of the junior doctor Picture by Kousik Sen

“A complaint was filed with us. Based on the complaint, three persons were arrested,” he said.

Sources said around 150 people had assembled at Chowpathi. They were singing songs, reciting poems and drawing graffiti during the protest.

A protester said they had lit candles and demonstrated peacefully. “Many common people had joined the protest. Suddenly, some TMC supporters resorted to the attack. It seems they were following the instructions of their MLA Paresh Ram Das to stop people from raising their voices on the issue,” he said.

A few days ago, Das, the TMC MLA of Canning Paschim, allegedly said in a public meeting that party workers and elected representatives should stop people from holding movements in the name of “Reclaiming the Night” on the RG Kar issue.

Biswajit Roy, the Mathabhanga block president of TMC, said as the protesters had painted derogatory graffiti, some people wiped them off.

“We are also organising protests and want capital punishment of all those involved in the crime. But the CPM is indulging in cheap politics over the issue. There was a dispute yesterday and I went there to stop the situation from escalating,” said Roy.

Parthapratim Roy, the spokesperson for the TMC in Cooch Behar district, denied the involvement of the party in the incident.

“We don’t endorse violence. We are gathering information about the incident,”
he said.

Suvendu Adhikari, the leader of the Opposition in the Assembly, condemned the attack on protesters.

“The protesting citizens were participating in the ‘Reclaim the Night’ & ‘light up for justice’ movement, responding to the request made by the doctors’ fraternity. Unfortunately, the TMC Party is unable to bear the heat of the candle flames, lit up across the State by common citizens. So they want to forcefully blow them off. The uncultured TMC Rowdies even whitewashed the paintings made by the protestors,” he wrote on X.

In Kanchrapara, a Class XI student was assaulted during a protest march at the town’s Gandhi Square on Wednesday night. The girl was sloganeering along with others, seeking justice for the 31-year-old junior doctor.

The attackers, reportedly under the influence of alcohol, snatched her microphone, twisted her hand and threatened her. She was admitted to the College of Medicine & JNM Hospital in Kalyani.

“The attackers were from the ruling party and rushed to our group before assaulting me,” she said.

Local TMC leaders have denied the charge.

Subodh Adhikary, the TMC MLA of Bijpur — Kancharapara is in his Assembly constituency — said: “None from our party was involved in it. We do not approve of such acts.”