High drama outside Salt Lake Stadium as football fans join doctors' protests

A massive drama unfolded on the streets of Kolkata as football fans of the East Bengal and Mohun Bagan teams joined ongoing protests by doctors over the brutal rape and murder of a woman resident doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. The Kolkata Police, anticipating unrest, intervened to prevent the fans from marching, leading to a tense standoff outside the Salt Lake Stadium.

The protests, which started as a show of solidarity with the medical community, saw football fans holding a demonstration near the stadium, demanding justice for the victim. The situation escalated when the Bidhannagar Police Commissionerate decided to cancel the much-anticipated Derby match between arch-rivals East Bengal and Mohun Bagan, scheduled for Sunday evening.

According to a senior officer from the commissionerate, prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) were imposed from 4 pm to midnight to prevent any potential disruption of peace. The police detained five individuals connected to the protests.

The decision to cancel the match was made following specific intelligence inputs indicating that certain groups and organizations were planning to incite violence during the game, which was expected to draw a crowd of over 60,000 spectators.

As tensions mounted, supporters from both clubs gathered in front of the stadium, waving their team flags and chanting slogans like "We want justice," highlighting the widespread anger and demand for accountability in the wake of the heinous crime.