Left students, youths break barricades in condemnation rally

There was tension in central Kolkata's Sealdah during a condemnation rally taken out by 12 Left students and youth organisations on Saturday as the participants broke barricades and tried to march forward.

The rally was taken out in protest against police resorting to baton charge and lobbing tear gas shells on a 'March to Nabanna' (state secretariat) programme of the Left students and youths on Friday near Mallick Phatak in Howrah district.

The two-day march from Singur to Nabanna began on Thursday, with the participants demanding jobs and industries.

The rally, that began from Jora Girja (Twin church) on Acharya J.C. Bose Road, saw a large participation of youths and students who raised slogans against "police brutality" on the marchers a day ago.

The rallyists carried huge flags and used the flagpoles to break the barricades.

The small presence of police personnel made it a tricky situation but the leaders managed to control their comrades.

Meanwhile, 22 marchers arrested on Friday were denied bail by a court in Howrah and remanded to police custody till Monday. IANS