Siliguri witnessed high drama on Friday, March 28 as the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) took to the streets in a massive ‘Uttarkanya Chalo’ rally, demanding job opportunities and the filling of vacant government posts.

The protest, which started peacefully, quickly escalated into a violent clash as police cracked down on demonstrators, leaving several DYFI members injured.

Scores of protestors were detained, including DYFI state president Dhrubojyoti Saha and state secretary Minakshi Mukherjee, who were taken to the New Jalpaiguri Police Station.

The rally, called on the occasion of Anti-Unemployment Day, drew thousands of supporters from across North Bengal. It commenced from Jalpai More in the afternoon and moved towards Tinbatti More, where the police had set up multiple barricades to prevent the demonstrators from marching towards Uttarkanya, the North Bengal Secretariat. Despite repeated warnings through public announcements, the protestors remained defiant and continued their march.

The situation escalated when they attempted to breach the barricades, leading to police retaliation with water cannons. As tensions heightened, the police resorted to lathi charges and tear gas shelling to disperse the crowd.

Police unleash water cannons on the demonstrators. Photo by arrangement.

The police, however, claimed that protesters hurled stones at them, resulting in injuries to several officers.

“The situation became uncontrollable when the protesters tried to break through the barricades and pelted stones at the forces. We had no option but to use water cannons to restore order,” Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Biswa Chand Thakur told the media.

Prior to the march, Minakshi Mukherjee had asserted that their demands were legitimate.

“If our demands are unjustified, let the police tell us we are wrong. But if they are right, the police should facilitate our memorandum reaching Uttarkanya,” she stated during a rally before the march.

However, as the procession advanced, the police stopped several vehicles carrying protestors, forcing them to walk long distances to join the rally.

At Tinbatti More and Burdwan Road, demonstrators managed to push through the first barricade but were halted at the second. As tensions mounted, the DYFI leadership announced a sit-in protest at the blockade site.

By 3 PM, the demonstrators had reached Tinbatti More when a forceful police action ensued. Several activists, including Mukherjee and Saha, were arrested. In total, at least 19 protestors were detained and taken to NJP police station.

The DYFI stated that the police failed to provide immediate medical aid to injured demonstrators, forcing them to arrange transportation in an auto-rickshaw.

Defending their actions, the police maintained that the rally had not been granted permission and that preventive measures were necessary to avoid chaos.

The crackdown, however, led to significant disruptions in the city, with multiple roadblocks at Mahatma Gandhi More, Noukaghat More, and other key intersections, causing severe traffic congestion.

Meanwhile, Mukherjee has accused the administration of suppressing democratic protests.

“We had sought permission in advance to submit our memorandum, yet our rally was blocked without any valid reason,” she said, adding that many supporters sustained injuries due to police action.