Page 2 - Kolkata

Odisha CM Majhi's flight diverted to Kolkata due to inclement weather

A plane carrying Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi was diverted to Kolkata on Friday morning, after it failed to land in Bhubaneswar due to inclement weather, a state minister said. Majhi, who was on a five-day tour to Delhi, was scheduled to land at Bhubaneswar airport around 9.45 am. The flight could not land at the airport here, and was diverted to Kolkata due to bad weather, Odisha's Urban Development Minister K C Mohapatra told reporters. Biju Patnaik International Airport Director Prasanna Pradhan said Majhi's flight hovered over the airport for around 21 minutes amid heavy rain, before being diverted to Kolkata. In a statement, the Odisha government said the state-level Teachers' Day function to be attended by Majhi has been postponed to 3 pm from 11.30 am.

PM Modi to flag off metro services on new sections in Kolkata on Aug 22

These metro routes will connect some of Kolkata's busiest areas, bring a notable reduction in travel time, and strengthen multimodal connectivity, benefiting lakhs of daily commuters

PM Modi to unveil ₹5,200 cr metro, road projects in Kolkata on Aug 22

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate and lay the foundation of projects worth Rs 5,200 crore, including three new stretches of the Kolkata Metro, and an elevated corridor in adjacent Howrah, during his visit to the eastern metropolis on August 22, officials said. PM Modi will inaugurate the new Metro stretches around 4.15 pm on Friday and undertake a metro ride from Jessore Road metro station to Jai Hind Bimanbandar station and back, a Kolkata Metro Railway spokesperson said on Wednesday. He will also lay the foundation of 7.2-km elevated Kona Expressway worth over Rs 1,200 crore, which will enhance connectivity between Howrah and Kolkata. The inauguration of the crucial 13.62 km, in all, of metro stretches will provide seamless connectivity between important points in the city, including Howrah and Sealdah stations, IT hub Sector 5 and Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport. The three new stretches are Sealdah to Esplanade (2.45 km), Noapara to Jaihind Bimanbanda

ABVP protests march to WB Education dept HQ over delay in WBJEE results

The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the student wing of the RSS, on Monday staged a demonstration before Bikash Bhawan, the headquarters of the state Education department, in Salt Lake, protesting the delay in the publication of West Bengal Joint Entrance Examination (WBJEE) results. The WBJEE was held in April this year, but the results have not been published. Carrying placards and shouting slogans against the state government, the protesters accused the Education department of "corruption" and demanded the immediate release of the WBJEE results. The ABVP members also blamed the state Education department for the delay in admission to undergraduate courses in many higher educational institutions. Police stopped the ABVP members from marching towards Bikash Bhawan and cleared the area, detaining several protesters. "We wanted to meet Education Minister Bratya Basu. We also told the police that five of us will go and meet him in a delegation. But the police are not allo

Mamata to skip inauguration of Kolkata metro projects by PM Modi on Aug 22

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is likely to skip the inauguration of three Kolkata metro projects by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 22, a top state government official said on Monday. Banerjee, during her tenure as the railway minister, had planned these metro projects, he claimed. The decision to skip the inauguration of the metro projects was taken in the backdrop of alleged harassment of migrants from West Bengal in the BJP-ruled states, he said. "There have been charges of linguistic discrimination and the harassment of the Bengalis in several states, with the alleged support of the BJP and the central government. Protests are underway to oppose such discriminatory treatment being meted out to Bengali migrants. In such a situation, the chief minister does not wish to share the stage with officials from the central government," the top bureaucrat told PTI. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, in a letter dated August 14, invited Banerjee to the inauguration of

RG Kar case: Victim's father moves HC for lawyers to visit crime scene

The father of the R G Kar hospital rape-murder victim has moved the Calcutta High Court praying for setting aside a lower court order that refused permission to his lawyers to visit the crime scene at the state-run medical institution. The petitioner claimed that he firmly believes that other persons were present along with Sanjay Roy, who has been convicted and sentenced to imprisonment till the end of his natural life by the trial court for the rape and murder of the doctor, when the crime was committed on August 9 last year. The matter is likely to be taken up for hearing early next week before a single bench of the high court, his counsel said. The petitioner stated that to assist the court in discovering any material lapse in investigation, it is crucial for an independent examination of the place of occurrence. He prayed that his lawyer Phiroze Edulji along with six junior advocates be allowed to visit the place of occurrence at R G Kar Medical College and Hospital for two ho

Police 'assault' RG Kar victim's mother, lathicharge protesters in Bengal

The victim's mother sustained a head injury and her bangle was also broken during the clash with the state police

RG Kar case: Protestors reach Howrah's Santragachi, try to breach barricade

A section of protestors taking part in a march to the West Bengal secretariat 'Nabanna' to mark the completion of one year of the brutal rape and murder of an on-duty doctor inside the state-run RG Kar hospital reached Santragachi in Howrah district on Saturday and attempted to breach the iron wall barricades set up by the city police there. As part of the 'Nabanna Chalo Abhiyan', the protestors shouted slogans for justice for the RG Kar victim and voiced their resolve to reach the state secretariat, irrespective of the blockades put up by the police. The police can fire upon us, but we are determined to reach Nabanna, where the state government must answer why justice has not been delivered to Abhaya (RG Kar victim) even after one year, a protestor was heard saying. Amid constant alerts over loudspeakers by the police urging protestors to abide by the Calcutta High Court order to maintain law and order, the demonstrators were seen scaling the 10-ft high barricades in their attempts

Parents of RG Kar victim join night vigil as students hold torch procession

Parents of the trainee doctor who was raped and murdered at R G Kar Hospital on August 9 last year joined a night-long vigil held at Shyambazar here on Friday. The vigil began after a torch procession taken out by junior doctors and general public in memory of the late medic. The torch procession, organised at the call of West Bengal Junior Doctors' Front, started from College Street near the Calcutta University main campus and culminated 5 kilometres away at Shyambazar near the R G Kar Medical College and Hospital. "I know that nothing will compensate the loss of our daughter. We only demand justice for her," the father of the murdered doctor said, addressing the gathering at Shyambazar junction. The father said it is unbelievable that one man could have committed such a brutal crime and alleged that there were others who were involved in the crime and conspiracy. He accused both the state and Central governments of not doing the needful to get justice for his daughter. Stating

One year on, RG Kar victim's parents still await justice in rape case

Nearly a year after a young woman doctor was raped and murdered inside a locked seminar room at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College, her grieving parents, whose wounds have only deepened with time, await justice. Her father said that their only hope is in the judiciary now. "We have lost all faith in the police and the CBI. For reasons best known to them, the CBI appears compromised, either politically or otherwise. They are just parroting what the Kolkata Police had said," her father told PTI. On August 9 last year, the 26-year-old postgraduate trainee's body was discovered inside the Chest Medicine Department's seminar hall on the fourth floor of the hospital's emergency building. The nature of her injuries, which indicated brutality, and the fact that it happened within a state-run hospital, sent shock waves across West Bengal and beyond. Widespread protests erupted across campuses, drawing students, doctors, and civil society to the streets. But a year later, the family says, just

Kolkata law college gangrape: Police conduct gait analysis on four accused

Police have conducted gait recognition analysis on the four accused persons arrested in the Kasba gangrape case involving a student inside the South Calcutta Law College premises, a senior officer said on Thursday. The analysis was initiated on Wednesday inside the correctional home where the four Monojit Mishra, Pramit Mukherjee, Zaib Ahmed and security guard Pinaki Banerjee are lodged. A local court had granted permission for the exercise on Tuesday. "The test is basically observing and analysing their walking pattern. The findings will be compared with CCTV footage and other video evidence recovered from the college premises on that day. This is to prove their presence at the spot when the crime took place," the officer explained. Investigators also received the forensic analysis reports of the mobile phones seized from the accused, he added. "The reports could play a crucial role in our investigation as these devices were allegedly used to record the crime that took place .

HC asks Centre to place litigation papers about Delhi HC deportations

The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday directed the Centre to place before it all records regarding litigations before the Delhi HC over the deportation of a few persons found to be illegally residing in the national capital. The court also verbally asked the central government's lawyer to "ascertain" whether there is any truth in the allegation that Bengali-speaking people were being questioned over their nationality in different places in the country after the West Bengal government's counsel raised the issue. However, no order was issued by the court on this matter. A division bench, presided by Justice Tapabrata Chakraborty, took up two habeas corpus petitions, alleging illegal detention of some people from West Bengal. The court directed the Centre to file an affidavit with regard to the petitioners' averment that they were already deported and that the issue was being litigated before the Delhi High Court. A habeas corpus petition is a legal remedy seeking direction to produce

Mamata to lead protest on harassment of Bengali speakers in other states

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will lead a protest march in Kolkata on Wednesday over alleged harassment of Bengali-speaking people in BJP-ruled states. The march will begin at College Square around 1 pm and conclude at Dharmatala in the heart of the city. Senior leaders of the party, including TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, will join the march. With less than a year left for the assembly elections in West Bengal, the TMC is raising its pitch over what it alleges is a systematic pattern of linguistic profiling, unlawful detentions, and attempts to brand Bengali speakers as "illegal immigrants". "This is not a routine political event," state minister Chandrima Bhattacharya said. "This is a battle to defend Bengal's honour, language and identity. If someone calls a Bengali a Bangladeshi, we will not take it lying down," she said. The TMC usually refrains from holding major public events in the run-up to its annual Shahid Dibas rally on July 21. But th

Kolkata B-school rape case stalls as survivor, family refuse to assist

Kolkata Police probe hits dead end as survivor skips medico-legal exam and family retracts complaint, citing police pressure

Security cordon around Bengal secretariat as eligible teachers plan protest

Tight security arrangements have been made around West Bengal state secretariat 'Nabanna' in Howrah on Monday as "eligible teachers", whose jobs were annulled following a Supreme Court order, planned a protest march demanding their reinstatement, a senior police officer said. Although the route march of the 'Joggya Sikkhak Sikkhika Adhikar Mancha' (Deserving Teachers' Rights Forum) has not been finalised yet, Howrah City Police deployed senior officers at crucial junctions to maintain law and order, with a specific focus on major entry points to Nabanna. "We are focused on preventing any major disruption to daily life and keeping the situation under control. To stop any such attempt, iron barricades have been placed at four strategic locations in Howrah to halt the protesters from advancing toward the state secretariat," the officer said. Towering metal barriers have been erected at Bangabashi Crossing on GT Road, Ramkrishnapur Ghat Gate on Foreshore Road, Kazipara Crossing, and ...

Will reveal names of TMC leaders causing chaos on college campuses: Suvendu

Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari on Sunday said that he would release the names of 50 leaders of the TMC's students' wing who are allegedly targeting pupils, specifically women, like Monojit Mishra, the prime accused in the rape case at a law college in south Kolkata. Adhikari alleged that all these leaders belong to the 'bhaipo (nephew) gang', an apparent reference to TMC's national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, who is the nephew of CM Mamata Banerjee. "This is one of the main factors why I left the TMC in 2020. I was not ready to tolerate their excesses," he said. "I will release on Tuesday afternoon the names of at least 50 members of 'bhaipo gang' who are running havoc on the campuses," he said. Adhikari announced that on August 9, the first anniversary of the rape and murder of the RG Kar hospital doctor, three rallies would be organised and all of them will converge at state secretariat Nabanna in Howrah, demanding justice from the government. "The parents of

Gangrape accused consumed liquor in guard room after crime: Kolkata Police

Monojit Mishra, prime accused in the gangrape of a student at South Calcutta Law College, along with his accomplices spent considerable time drinking liquor inside the institute's guard room after committing the crime on June 25, before heading out for the night, an investigating officer said on Saturday. According to the police, the trio the other two being Pramit Mukherjee and Zaib Ahmed then went to a dhaba on EM Bypass for dinner before returning to their respective homes the next morning. "After committing the crime, the three consumed alcohol in the guard's room and then asked security guard Pinaki Banerjee to keep his mouth shut about the incident," the officer added. Investigation revealed that a day after the crime on June 26, Monojit, realising the gravity of the situation, contacted an "influential" person in Deshapriya Park, South Kolkata, who had previously helped him. However, sensing the 'mood' of the situation, the person advised Monojit to back off, police said.

PM Modi pays tribute to Swami Vivekananda on 123rd death anniversary

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday paid tributes to Swami Vivekananda, a monk and spiritual leader, on his 123rd death anniversary. "I bow to Swami Vivekananda Ji on his Punya Tithi. His thoughts and vision for our society remains our guiding light. He ignited a sense of pride and confidence in our history and cultural heritage. He also emphasised on walking the path of service and compassion," Modi said on X. The founder of Ramakrishna Mission, whose treatise on Vedanta and Hindu philosophy in general won him a large following, was born in modern-day Kolkata and died at the age of 39. His spiritual and philosophical output has been a source of inspiration for many, with Modi often citing him as a major influence for him.

Kolkata college gang-rape: Police custody of 3 accused extended till July 8

A city court on Monday extended the police custody of the three accused in the alleged gang-rape of a first-year student at a law college in Kolkata's Kasba area by eight days till July 8. The accused include the prime suspect Monojit Mishra, a former student and temporary staffer of the college, and two current students Zaib Ahmed and Pramit Mukherjee. The trio was arrested on Thursday and produced before the court the following day, which initially remanded them to four-day police custody. Upon production at the Alipore Court on Monday, their police custody was extended till July 8. A security guard of the college, Pinaki Banerjee, was also arrested on Saturday in connection with the case and was sent to police custody till Tuesday. His custody was extended till July 4. On completion of the initial remand period, all four were produced before the Alipore Court, which extended their police custody, allowing further interrogation by the investigators. According to sources, the .

PIL in Calcutta HC seeks CBI probe into law college 'gang rape' case

A PIL was filed before the Calcutta High Court on Monday seeking a CBI investigation into the alleged gang rape of a law student in her college by an alumnus and two other classmates. The petitioner prayed for direction to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to hold a preliminary inquiry into the incident as complained of by the alleged survivor and file an interim report before the court. Claiming that the main accused Manojit Mishra has close proximity with the ruling party in the state, the petitioner prayed in the public interest litigation (PIL) that the investigation into the alleged gang rape case be transferred to the CBI from the Kolkata Police for an impartial probe. It was stated that Mishra was very influential in the conduct of the day-to-day affairs of South Calcutta Law College, of which he is an alumnus. He also sought a direction to the state authorities to compensate the survivor and her family members. The petitioner prayed for an order to appoint woman ci