Violence erupts as police and protesters clash at CJP-Left student rally in Kolkata

Violent clashes broke out in Kolkata’s Esplanade area on Friday (July 24, 2026), leaving several injured as police fired tear gas and baton-charged protesters during a march demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

In solidarity with the protests in Delhi, thousands of supporters of the Cockroach Janta Party and various left-affiliated student organizations took to the streets demanding the resignation of Mr. Pradhan, justice for the students injured during the police action at Jantar Mantar earlier this week, and the immediate dissolution of the National Testing Agency (NTA).

The march started at Sealdah railway station and attracted students and people from different walks of life.

Thousands of people go to protest

“The education system is unfair, we are only asking for a fair system that is available to every student and we have a better future,” Udita Goswami, a 23-year-old zoology student and protester at the rally, told The Hindu.

Protesters raised slogans like “Inquilab Zindabad”, “Dharmendra Pradhan must resign” and “Modi jab jab darta hai, police ko aage karta hai” (Whenever Modi is afraid, he pushes the police) as the procession moved from Sealdah to Esplanade.

In addition to the students, several elderly people also provided support to the youth. Garima Kundu, a 47-year-old engineer, arrived at the protest with a placard that read: “Dharmendra Pradha RIP (Resignation Awaited). Ms. Kundu, who has a 12-year-old daughter, said she had come to join the movement for her child.

“She is a girl who goes to school. One day she will grow up and want to build a good career. What would she get from this education system? With people like Mr. Pradhan in the chair, my daughter will never be able to make it. I don’t want that,” she said.

Several protesters also expressed solidarity with the students injured during the police action in Delhi. Many carried portraits of Bhagat Singh, BR Ambedkar and Mahatma Gandhi, copies of the Preamble to the Constitution, Ambedkar’s writings and George Orwell’s 1984 along with hand-painted posters.

National flags and songs such as We Shall Overcome and Give Me Some Sunshine accompanied the march.

“How can any government be so brutal to its people? What happened in Jantar Mantar is barbaric and unacceptable and has never been seen before in Independent India. I have come here to support the youth and speak against the government’s atrocities,” said Prabir Saha, 66, who owns a small business in Kolkata.

Chaos breaks out

The protest turned violent after protesters arrived at the Esplanade and began a sit-in at Dorina Crossing. Police tried to disperse the crowd using batons and tear gas, officials said.

Some protesters responded by throwing shoes and bottles at police. Several protesters, police officers and journalists were injured in the clashes. The Rapid Action Force (RAF) and paramilitary personnel were later deployed to restore order.

The protesters later announced an indefinite protest at Rani Rashmani Street until Mr. Pradhan resigns.

Kolkata’s additional police commissioner, Kunal Aggarwal, said several people were reportedly injured, though the exact number was yet to be ascertained. He said the situation was now under control and that the police were working with the protesters to clear the area and reduce any inconvenience to commuters.

Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari called the protesters “anti-national” and said such activities would not be tolerated in West Bengal.

“Within just 10 weeks, we will drive these opponents out of Bengal. If you want to stay here, such activities will not be accepted. I heard that students from Jadavpur University hostel were forced to join this rally. We will not allow that,” he told reporters.

Several BJP leaders also portrayed the protest as an act of “hooliganism” and an attempt to rape journalists. A party spokesman condemned the attack on two journalists during the protest. “This is not a protest, this is hooliganism by people who have nothing to do with education,” he said.

Former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee extended her support to the ongoing nationwide protest condemning the brutal police crackdown on protesters at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar. She appreciated the young students for their indomitable spirit, undaunted courage and refusal to bow down to lathis, intimidation or abuse of state power.

She questioned the government’s efforts to shield the education minister instead of answering the questions raised by students across the country.

“The Union Peace Democratic Movement government is so terrible that it has allegedly suspended internet services in and around Jantar Mantar and used the draconian National Security Act (NSA) to carry out preventive detention of students – The very future of our nation… If those accused of destroying the future of millions of students continue to shun accountability, who is the government really protecting?” she said.

Published – 24 Jul 2026 23:32 IST