A day after the Durand Cup match between Mohun Bagan and East Bengal was cancelled by the administration over concerns of security and violence, fans from both teams, (as well as other clubs, including Mohemmadan Sporting), congregated on EM Byepass - Eastern Kolkata's main artery - to raise their voices against the police and the West Bengal government following the rape and murder of a doctor at RG Kar Hospital.
Earlier in the day, the West Bengal police had imposed Section 163 of the BNSS (formerly Section 144 of the CrPC) near the stadium to stop the congregation of protestors and ban any large gathering, but it did not stop protestors from joining in in large numbers.
As the crowd swelled in front of the Salt Lake Stadium, the police resorted to a lathi-charge at around 4.45 PM IST to disperse the crowd, leaving a handful injured. Those who resisted were swiftly detained by the local police, while a few claimed to have lost their shoes and other belongings in the melee.
Apart from units of Kolkata and West Bengal police, there was also the presence of force in riot gear and shields, but they were not called into action and hung around in the periphery. The force had tear-gas guns with them too, but they were not used.
As most of the crowd dispersed, there were pockets of protestors who braved the rain to continue raise their voices. "We want justice" was the main slogan, while a few felt the administration took the wrong call to abandon the planned football game for Sunday, which angered the fans further.
A Kolkata derby game being cancelled is very rare, happening only a handful of times since Independence. In 1947, the IFA Shield Final was abandoned over violence in the city, followed by another abandonment in 1959. The IFA Shield Final of 1967, too, was called off over deteriorating law-and-order situation in the city resulting from the ouster of the first United Front government. The last time a Kolkata Derby was impacted was in December 2012 when violence erupted after Mohun Bagan coach Syed Rahim Nabi was hit by a stone from the stands and the team forfeited the match at half time.
On all those occasions fans of both teams had found themselves pitted against one another, but in this instance, they stood together for a common cause. The only time they stopped protesting and moved aside without the influence of the police was when two ambulances had to pass by the EM Byepass to reach a nearby private hospital. Later in the day, Mohun Bagan captain and national team defender Subhasish Bose also joined the protests.
"I've come here as a commoner. Justice is needed to ensure that this incident is never repeated. The culprits should receive proper punishment. We will continue our protests until justice is served," Bose said.
"For the first time, fans of Mohun Bagan, East Bengal, and Mohammedan Sporting have come together to fight for justice. I am grateful to everyone. This fight is not just for Bengal, but for the entire country." Bose continued: "Together, we will fight so that no one dares to commit such a heinous act again. I'm a footballer, and the ground means everything to me. But if our mothers and sisters don't feel safe in our state or country, there is nothing more important than addressing that.
"We all have to come together and fight for their safety. We must protect them and show them respect. I'm here as a common person, without any political affiliation.
"The bigger cause is justice for RG Kar, and I will always stand for that," the Mohun Bagan skipper said.
The points were shared between the two teams over the abandoned fixture, and they now move on to the quarterfinals, both being held outside the city. East Bengal will play Shillong Lajong FC in Shillong on Aug 21 while Mohun Bagan take on Punjab FC in Jamshedpur on Aug 23.