Former union minister Nisith Pramanik was arrested on Monday after BJP workers clashed with police in Cooch Behar during a demonstration against the alleged rape and murder of a doctor in a state-run Calcutta hospital early last month.

Saffron party workers held rallies in various districts of West Bengal during the day to protest the death of the on-duty medic that sparked nationwide outrage.

Rallies were held before offices of district magistrates in Bardhaman, Malda, Coochbehar and Jhargram, among others.

In Cooch Behar, the agitators allegedly brick-batted the police and the personnel responded by using batons and tear gas to disperse the BJP workers, resulting in large-scale commotion.

Former junior union minister Nisith Pramanick who led the rally was among the 22 arrested, a police official said.

Barricades had been put up in front of the DMs' offices across the state by the police, which the saffron party workers tried to break.

Police also had a trying time to thwart the BJP workers from thronging before the DM's office in Bardhaman.

The saffron party workers demanded the resignation of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and also of Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Goyal.

A post-graduate trainee doctor was found dead in R G Kar Medical College and Hospital's seminar room on August nine after being allegedly raped. A civic police volunteer was arrested the next day. The investigation is currently undertaken by the CBI on a Calcutta High Court order.

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