Kolkata: With at least 25 IPS officers overseeing security arrangements in Kolkata Police jurisdiction and over 30 IPS officers leading security forces in Howrah to stop the scheduled 'Nabanna Abhijan' rallies from reaching anywhere close to the state secretariat on Tuesday, the city looks to be bracing for a massive showdown between the two sides.
Student organisation 'Paschim Banga Chhatra Samaj' and the dissident state government employees' platform 'Sangrami Joutha Mancha' are set to hold their 'Nabanna Abhijan' rally on Tuesday afternoon, despite the administration declaring the event as "illegal and unauthorised".
The rally is aimed at demanding the resignation of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and the arrest of those involved in the alleged rape-murder of a doctor at R G Kar Medical College and Hospital.
Two major rallies, one starting from College Square in central Kolkata and the other from Santragachhi in Howrah are scheduled to head towards the state secretariat amid serious apprehensions of law and order situation spiralling out of control in the eventuality of a clash between the two sides.
Bengal police have confirmed the preventive arrest of four students on grounds of hatching a "conspiracy of murder and attempted murder".
Police have set up aluminium guard walls reinforced by wooden barricades in at least five locations in Kolkata's approach ways to the Howrah Bridge, including at the foot of the bridge at the Kolkata end to stop the rally from proceeding any further, officials said.
In Howrah, barricades reinforced with iron and steel bolted to the ground have been set up at four places on Kona Expressway and other approach roads to the secretariat, they added.
A massive deployment of armed police, RAF and special combat forces have been made on both sides of the Hooghly River to control possible violence. Drone surveillance, tear gas shells and some five water cannons have also been deployed as security measures.
An unprecedented usage of cargo ship containers and 10-feet high iron guard walls to block roads were also seen in places like the AJC Bose Road and Vidyasagar Setu approach roads, converting the city and its outskirts into a virtual fortress.
Police sources revealed that the first attempt to stop the rally starting from College Street and headed for the Howrah Bridge would be made at the Strand Road-Mahatma Gandhi Road junction with reinforced aluminium guard walls at the base of the bridge.
Barricades have also been set up on approach roads to Vidyasagar Setu on Turf View Road, Hastings, Furlong Gate and Kidderpore Road to stop protestors’ movement towards the Second Hooghly Bridge.
In Howrah, over 2,000 police personnel would be dotting various approach points to Nabanna who would be led by four ADGs, 13 DIGs and 15 SP-ranked officers. Four water cannon trucks have also been deployed.
Traffic movement at both Kolkata and Howrah ends has been severely restricted by the police since this morning.
The state police has termed the rally "illegal" and "unauthorized," citing concerns over potential violence and public disorder.
ADG (Law and Order) Manoj Verma indicated that there is credible intelligence suggesting attempts by miscreants to incite violence and chaos during the protest.
Consequently, the government has imposed prohibitory orders near Nabanna (state secretariat) under Section 163 of BNSS, restricting gatherings of five or more people.
The Trinamool Congress has denounced the rally as a "conspiracy" to create public disorder, releasing videos that purportedly show BJP leaders from Ghatal, Paschim Medinipur district, planning to provoke violence. The persons shown in the videos have been detained for questioning.
In response to the anticipated disruptions, several educational institutions have opted to conduct online classes or declared a holiday for Tuesday.
Governor C V Ananda Bose has urged the state government to refrain from using force to prevent the rally, advocating for the students' right to protest.