Senior BJP women leaders and members of the party’s women wing on Friday organised separate rallies to the state women's commission here over its alleged silence on the rape-murder of an on-duty doctor at R G Kar hospital.

Earlier in the day, police halted one rally, detaining about 20 activists, who were taken away in prison vans as they marched towards the commission’s office at Karunamoyee in Salt Lake.

Another procession, led by senior BJP women leaders including Agnimitra Paul, Debasree Choudhury, and Locket Chatterjee, also faced police obstruction on its way to the women's commission's office at Karunamoyee.

Chatterjee criticised the police, saying, "Police cannot ensure the safety of women in the state. They cannot prevent the destruction of evidence related to the RG Kar hospital crime but can brutally lathi-charge peaceful protesters. Our protest is symbolic and peaceful. Why are the police so scared?"

Union Minister and BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar had previously announced that party members would lock the Women's Commission office in protest against the panel's alleged silence on the case, accusing the panel of acting in a partisan manner.

On August 9, the police recovered the body of the woman's postgraduate trainee doctor from the seminar hall of the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. PTI SUS MNB

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