Protest over tribal woman’s assault turns violent in Siliguri

Siliguri: Clashes took place between police and protesters in Siliguri on Thursday as members of Janajati Suraksha Manch marched towards Uttarkanya, the state govt's north Bengal secretariat, demanding justice for a tribal woman who was seven-month pregnant and was allegedly assaulted in Phansidewa in Dec last year. Her newborn later died.Clashes erupted at Teenbatti More on the Asian Highway when police stopped the rally with barricades. Some protesters, carrying bows, arrows and swords, allegedly tried to force their way through, leading to scuffles. As the situation escalated, protesters allegedly hurled stones and water bottles at the police and set tyres ablaze at multiple points on the road, causing massive traffic congestion across the highway and adjoining areas.
In response, police deployed water cannons and fired tear gas shells to disperse the crowd. As protesters refused to retreat, officers resorted to a baton charge to bring the situation under control. Around 8 to 10 protesters were detained.The protest stems from a Dec 23, 2025, incident at Jalas Nizamtara Gram Panchayat, where the woman was allegedly attacked over a land dispute. Alleging police inaction after the newborn's death, the organisation called for the ‘Uttarkanya Abhiyan'. Among the protesters were BJP MLAs and netas.Reacting to the incident, Phansidewa BJP MLA Durga Murmu said, "I am a tribal MLA. A pregnant tribal woman was attacked over a land dispute. Her newborn child later died. We are protesting against this injustice. The police took no concrete action, and we strongly condemn this."Dabgram-Fulbari BJP MLA Shikha Chatterjee said, "The police are not doing their job. When we tried to hold a peaceful rally, the police responded with force. Even with a woman CM in the state, women are not safe."Darjeeling SP Pratiksha Jharkharia said that four persons had been arrested in connection with the alleged assault case. Refuting allegations of police negligence, she stated that the investigating officer noted the delivery was premature and that the baby weighed approximately 1 kg. "An inquiry was conducted within 15 days of the incident. Facts surrounding the case were being distorted. It was also found that the land was govt property and did not belong to either of the parties," Jharkharia said.