CALCUTTA: The Police used tear gas thrice to disperse students’ procession passing along the College Street in central Calcutta shortly before midday today [Jan 21] on the occasion of the celebration of Viet-Nam Day, declared by the All-India Students Congress. About 60 arrests were made up to 2 p.m.

Earlier, the Police, it is stated, had made a lathi charge on the demonstrators as a result of which over a dozen students received injuries, three being admitted to hospital. University gates, in front of which the incident took place, are now being strongly guarded by the Police. Students of different educational institutions came out of their classes this morning, and ignoring the existing ban under Section 144 Cr. P.C. proceeded in small processions towards the University lawn where a meeting was scheduled to take place in connection with the Viet-Nam Day. One of these processions was stopped by the Police … and when the students refused to disperse the police first made a lathi charge and then used tear gas. According to the Indian National Ambulance Corps, 130 casualties were reported up to 8 p.m. of which 20 were of bullet wounds, one of them died in hospital.

Published in Dawn, January 22nd, 2022