kolkata

IIE DIGITAL DESK ; Kolkata, June 8: Hawkers were evicted from the Jadavpur area of Kolkata as authorities carried out a major demolition drive late on Sunday night. Several allegedly illegal shops and structures around the Jadavpur railway station premises were demolished using bulldozers as part of the eviction operation. The drive faced strong resistance from a joint protest organized by Left parties and the Congress, which had been continuing since the evening.

A large contingent of police personnel along with central security forces was deployed at the site to maintain law and order during the operation. Barricades were erected around the station area to prevent protesters from entering the demolition zone. During the course of the operation, several demonstrators were detained by the police, including CPI(M) leader Srijan Bhattacharyya and many others who were participating in the protest.

Allegations of a police lathi-charge on protesters have also surfaced. According to reports, several people sustained injuries during the confrontation, including theatre activist Joyraj Bhattacharya. It has been reported that Joyraj suffered a head injury during the clashes. Protest leaders and activists, including Srijan Bhattacharyya, Ushasi Chakraborty, and Congress leader Sourav Prasad, had been present at the site since Sunday evening to oppose the eviction drive.

Members of Left organizations and the Congress attempted to resist the demolition jointly. In dramatic scenes, one protester reportedly lay down in front of a bulldozer in an effort to halt the operation, while several others climbed onto the demolition machinery and staged demonstrations. Despite the resistance and protests, the eviction drive continued under heavy security arrangements.

The incident has triggered fresh political controversy in West Bengal, with opposition parties criticizing the administration's handling of the eviction process and raising questions over the alleged use of force against protesters. The developments at Jadavpur are likely to intensify the ongoing debate over hawker rehabilitation, urban development, and the rights of informal workers in the city.