Kolkata students held for protesting Kamduni gang-rape

A group of students protesting the Kamduni gang rape and crimes against women were arrested for "smearing police officials with paints", police said Monday.

"Twelve students were arrested today (Monday) for smearing police officials with colours. They are in the lock-up now," an official at the city police control room told IANS.

The youngsters were arrested from the Metro Channel area in Esplanade in the central part of the city. The area is a popular spot for holding protests, demonstrations and rallies.

According to the students, they were preparing to protest "peacefully" against the Kamduni rape incident through a street play when a police van showed up.

"We were staging a completely non-aggressive protest but police officials - both men and women - started pushing and shoving us. This is ridiculous and no way democratic," said one of the protestors.

"The state government is curtailing our rights to express ourselves. They themselves hold meetings at the Metro Channel. However, they have stopped us from expressing ourselves at the same spot," said another protestor.