Amid statewide protests by unemployed and agitating teachers, the West Bengal Police faced strong criticism following allegations of lathi-charge in several districts including. In response to the escalating tension and growing public outrage, Additional Director General (ADG) Law and Order, Jawed Shamim, issued a directive to all district Superintendents of Police (SP) on Wednesday afternoon asking them not to rain baton on protesting teachers and handle the situation through dialogues.
Chief Secretary Manoj Pant appealed to the agitating teachers to maintain peace and not disrupt public order. “The state government is committed to resolving the issue,” Pant said. “We request the protesting teachers to refrain from creating any law and order disturbances or taking matters into their own hands.”
According to police sources, Shamim specifically emphasised the need to avoid further confrontation and sought a resolution through communication rather than force.
“We have been directed to engage in dialogues with aggrieved teachers whenever demonstrations will be staged. There are clear instructions that we will not resort to lathicharge in any situation related to teachers’ agitation,” said an SP in south Bengal.
The directive came in the wake of intense backlash against police action in south Kolkata’s Kasba, where protesters alleged they were lathi-charged while staging a peaceful demonstration outside the district inspector’s office. Similar allegations have surfaced from Durgapur in West Burdwan and Barasat in North 24 Parganas districts, with several unemployed teachers reportedly injured. There are also claims that some police personnel were injured after being hit by bricks thrown during the unrest.
Following the circulation of video footage showing a police officer kicking a protesting teacher during the Kasba demonstration, Police Commissioner Manoj Verma has acknowledged the inappropriateness of the act and confirmed that an inquiry is underway.
“There was no prior information regarding the protest,” Verma stated. “However, the conduct seen in the video—specifically, a policeman kicking a protester—is unacceptable and not expected from someone in uniform. We are reviewing all available footage and a formal investigation is in progress.”
The incident has drawn sharp criticism from various quarters, intensifying public scrutiny over the police's handling of the recent demonstrations by unemployed teachers.
As reports of the clashes surfaced, condemnation poured in from various quarters throughout the day. Tensions ran high across districts, where the situation resembled a virtual standoff between protesters and police.
The protests were triggered by the Supreme Court’s recent decision to cancel approximately 26,000 teaching appointments in the state. While chief minister Mamata Banerjee addressed a gathering of the affected individuals on Tuesday and expressed her support, a significant portion of the unemployed teachers remained unconvinced, leading to the continued escalation of protests.
Protesters alleged that jobs were sold to ineligible candidates and the government failed to differentiate between the deserving and the undeserving. They also raised serious concerns about the use of force by the police, accusing authorities of attempting to silence their voices.
In this tense situation, Shamim's directive signals a shift in the administration’s approach. By calling for restraint and dialogue, the state police now appear to be aiming for de-escalation and peaceful engagement with the protestors to prevent further unrest.
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