The area adjacent to the 212 bus stand in Jadavpur had been tense since Sunday evening. Tension escalated due to the sudden apprehension of a hawker eviction drive. Several bulldozers were parked not far from the gathering spot. Kolkata Police, Railway Police, and central forces were deployed at the scene. A late-night hawker eviction drive was carried out in Jadavpur. Several illegal shops and structures in the station premises were demolished using bulldozers. To stop the eviction drive, a joint protest by the Left and Congress had been ongoing since the evening. Local residents also gathered in large numbers. A massive contingent of police and central forces was deployed at the site, and barricades were set up.
Several individuals, including CPI(M) leader Srijan Bhattacharya, have been detained. While being taken away in a police van, he said: "We are here. The Railways is acting illegally. They have come to evict by ignoring the court and the law."He claimed that he was detained forcibly and illegally. The eviction has triggered tension and panic in the area. There are allegations of a lathicharge (baton-charge) on the protesters. Several people, including theater activist Joyraj Bhattacharya, were injured in the incident. It is reported that Joyraj suffered a head injury. The area adjacent to the 212 bus stand in Jadavpur had been tense since Sunday evening. Tension escalated due to the sudden apprehension of a hawker eviction drive. Several bulldozers were parked not far from the gathering spot. Kolkata Police, Railway Police, and central forces were present at the scene. A few hours later, the eviction drive began. One shop after another was demolished by the bulldozers. Allegations of a lathicharge also surfaced. Srijan Bhattacharya, Ushashi Chakraborty, and Congress leader Sourav Prasad were present at the spot since evening. The Congress and Left organizations jointly attempted to protest and resist. To stop the eviction drive, one person even lay down in front of a bulldozer. Several others stood on top of the bulldozers to protest.
Before the eviction drive, Srijan said: "Those who are calling the hawkers sitting here illegal—the way they are evicting the hawkers is also illegal. No eviction can be carried out in this area without allocating commercial plots and providing rehabilitation, as per a 1988 ruling. The Railways had asked for a certified copy of that ruling. On Tuesday, clear talks were held with the Railways. The courts will reopen on June 8. We will hand over those documents to the Railways within 21 days of the court's reopening. I don’t know why the Railways is going back on its word despite this."
Ushashi said: "If having hawkers here is illegal, then today's eviction is also illegal. The other day, after showing the notice, it was discussed that we would provide the certified copy once the court opens. Carrying out this eviction despite that is a contempt of court. We have to stand against this. A state cannot run like this. After all, the law and the court matter."
Last Tuesday night as well, tension gripped the Jadavpur station area over fears of a hawker eviction. Left leaders and workers had joined the protest that day too. They alleged that bulldozers were parked outside the station. However, the eviction did not take place on Tuesday.
Previously, the Railways had cleared illegal hawkers from the Howrah and Sealdah station premises. At times, bulldozers were also deployed to demolish illegal structures. According to sources, around 500 temporary shanties and small shops have been evicted from the Sealdah and Howrah station areas. Bulldozers were used not only in the station premises but also to demolish illegal multi-story structures in various areas of Howrah. The affected business owners have been left in distress due to this overnight eviction drive. Some claimed that they arrived in the morning only to find their shops gone, while others mentioned reaching the spot at night upon hearing the news of the eviction. Almost everyone had the same grievance—that the Railways carried out the eviction drive suddenly.
On the other hand, traders of Mangla Hat will no longer be allowed to set up their stalls on the roads and pavements adjoining the Howrah Maidan area. Senior officials of the Howrah City Police summoned the leaders of the Mangla Hat traders' association to the Howrah Police Station to inform them of this. They also stated that this directive was issued by the state government.
