The Kolkata Police have registered seven first information reports (FIRs) in connection with the violence that erupted at the Esplanade area during a students’ protest rally led by the Cockroach Janta Party and several Left-affiliated students’ wings on Friday (July 24, 2026), demanding Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation. Six of the FIRs have been registered in connection with the attack on the media personnel and one is a suo motu case in connection with the violence. Eleven persons have been arrested so far, police said.
Also read: Jantar Mantar protest updates on July 25, 2026
Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Saturday (July 25, 2026) said in the State Assembly that 70 people have been identified who are not students or members of the Cockroach Janta Party. The Chief Minister said these cases will be investigated under the “Goonda Act”, a recent law passed by the State Assembly that allows preventive detention for a period of up to 12 months. Lauding the efforts of the police in dispersing the mob, the Chief Minister read out a few names of the people arrested in connection with the protest.
The march on Friday started from Sealdah station, where thousands of young students and people from various sections of society showed up. However, the peaceful protest turned violent when the police used force to disperse the crowd soon after they reached Esplanade. The protesters started a dharna at Dorina Crossing in Esplanade, following which the police baton-charged and also fired two rounds of tear gas.
In retaliation, the protesters also threw shoes and bottles at the police force. During the clash, several people from both sides and also a few journalists sustained injuries. The RAF and paramilitary forces have also been deployed in the area to maintain law and order.
After assessing the entire situation and damage, the Kolkata Police registered seven FIRs on Saturday morning. The first FIR was suo motu lodged by the Kolkata Police at Hare Street police station for allegedly delivering provocative speeches and slogans by the protesters, attacking the police personnel, and unlawfully gathering at Dorina Crossing.
Police said that the protesters gathered in the area without any formal permission from the police authority. “They had vehicles with them and were using microphones at high volume. They were giving provocative speeches instigating their followers to encroach on the entire Dorina Crossing. The continuous instigations of the leaders infuriated the crowd, resulting in the whole gathering becoming very aggressive and unruly,” said Additional Police Commissioner (Crime) Kunal Aggarwal.
The police repeatedly instructed them to leave the place and to maintain peace. But the crowd, under the instructions of the leaders, started hurling water bottles, shoes, sticks and stones targeting the police, reporters and passersby — creating insecurity for the commoners and others, the officer said.
Mr. Aggarwal said that some police personnel also sustained injuries due to the clash. “As they were good in number and they were trying to provoke the police, the latter showed very restrained behaviour and maintained an orderly situation, confining them within a certain ambit. Their act completely paralysed the regular vehicular movements and public activities,” he added.
The FIRs were lodged under Sections 189(2), 189(4), 189(3), 191(2), 190, 121(1), 132, 285, 352, 223, 3(5), and 3(6) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) against multiple unidentified people.
The other FIRs were against the attack on journalists Rik Purakaystha and Krishnendu Majumder from R Plus News channel, Shiladitya Kar from the Ei Samay publishing house, Rahi Halder from Aaj Tak channel (India Today group), and Suman Mahapatra, Makhan Chandra Patra, and Dipankar Dasgupta from TV9 channel. All of them are currently undergoing treatment at SSKM Hospital.
The Chief Minister on Friday night visited SSKM Hospital and met the injured journalists. Mr. Adhikari promised necessary action against the attack on the media personnel. “Is this a protest against NEET? Those who have attacked journalists will be punished. Wait for a few days. We have identified them. They have no connection with NEET protests,” the Chief Minister said.
Earlier on Friday morning, he also called the protesters anti-national and said that no such activities will be spared in West Bengal. “We will drive these anti-nationals out of Bengal. If you want to stay here, such activities will not be accepted. I heard that the students from the hostel of Jadavpur University were forced to join this rally. We will not allow this,” he told the reporters reacting to the protest.
However, all the Left-affiliated students’ associations and the Cockroach Janta Party denied that the protesters harassed the journalists. In their official statements, they condemned the incident and said that some outsiders, probably plotted by the ruling party, entered the premises and launched the brutal attack on the journalists to damage a peaceful protest.
“Many of the students and protesters are also admitted to the hospital. We are condemning this attempt to mislead such a peaceful protest. It is shameful how the journalists were attacked,” they said in an official statement.
Published - July 25, 2026 01:18 pm IST