They are usually arch-rivals inside the stadium, but supporters of East Bengal and Mohun Bagan Super Giant came together near the Salt Lake stadium on Sunday evening (August 18, 2024) to protest the alleged rape and murder of a doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. (More Football News)
More than a hundred supporters of the two clubs first gathered outside the stadium, which is the venue of the cancelled Kolkata Derby, with placards and posters even as a Durand Cup match between the two most-followed football clubs of the country was cancelled with police citing law and order concerns.
In a rare show of unity, supporters of the two clubs held each other's flags and raised slogans seeking justice for the victim's family, with a big contingent of the police keeping a vigil on the situation.
Supporters of the Mohammedan SC, another major football club, also joined the protests a while later. Actor Usashi Chakraborty and theatre personality Sourav Palodhi were among the protesters wearing the jerseys of the clubs they support.
Many people were detained as the cops lathicharged at the protesters and put some of them inside police vans. Even though the police were somewhat successful in breaking the gathering at first, the protesters regrouped in small numbers and continued raising slogans.
All India Football Federation (AIFF) president Kalyan Chaubey too reached the site a while later and met the angry fans of the three clubs.
"It is very shameful. Law and order have completely collapsed in West Bengal. A football match could not happen... and look at police deployment, it looks like a riot is going on," Chaubey, also a BJP leader, told PTI.
The arterial road connecting the Kolkata's northern end to the south was eventually blocked at different locations, including Kadapara and Beleghata Connector crossings, disrupting the flow of traffic to and from the airport.
"We want justice for the sister who was gang-raped and murdered. Together, we Mohun Bagan, East Bengal and Mohammedan fans have assembled here peacefully. Why so many policemen have been deployed here? Why the match had to be cancelled? Don't we have the right to demand justice for the victim," asked Bittu Senapati, a Mohun Bagan supporter.
The police, on its part, said prohibitory orders under section 163 of the BNSS were imposed in the area from 4pm till midnight to prevent any disruption of peace. For defying the prohibitory orders, some of those who gathered here were detained, they added.
While the police tried to take away those detained, the football fans tried to block the way of the vans.
Palodhi said, "We only want to air our anger over the shocking incident. Everything cannot run smoothly, normally when the security of women is at stake."
As the sun went down, more supporters of the three clubs joined the protests.
Shouting at the police, a woman dressed in Mohun Bagan's maroon-green colours said, "Where were you when the vandals took siege of the RG Kar Hospital, and doctors, nurses and common people ran for their lives? Where were you when costly medical equipment at the hospital was being vandalised?"
An East Bengal supporter said: "We only have one demand, we want justice for the doctor and her family," holding a festoon that said, "Two clubs but one voice, justice for RG Kar."
Police said there were intelligence inputs that attempts would be made to trigger violence during the match, because of which it was cancelled.
"We had specific information that some groups and organisations would attempt to create disturbance in the stadium," a senior police officer told PTI, adding that 63,000 spectators were expected for the match.
"Keeping in view the safety and security of the football lovers, we took up the matter with the Derby committee and decided to cancel today's match," he said.
The postgraduate trainee doctor was allegedly raped and murdered while on duty at the RG Kar hospital.
(With PTI inputs)
