Daijiworld Media Network - Kolkata

Kolkata, Jul 7: The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday granted conditional permission for a protest rally to be led by former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata over several issues, including the recent alleged rape and murder of a minor girl in Baruipur, South 24 Parganas district.

The permission was granted by a single-judge bench of Justice Sougata Bhattacharya after Banerjee moved the High Court seeking urgent relief following the police's refusal to allow the march.

The court admitted the plea for an urgent hearing and, after considering the submissions, permitted the rally subject to a series of restrictions.

Under the court's directions, the procession will be confined to the stretch between Ballygunge Phari Crossing and Hazra Crossing in south Kolkata. The march has also been limited to a two-hour duration, from 2.30 p.m. to 4.30 p.m.

The High Court directed that the rally should use only one side of the road so that the other lane remains open for normal vehicular traffic. It also capped the number of participants at 1,000.

Banerjee had earlier staged a candlelight protest on Monday against the alleged rape and murder of the minor girl in Baruipur. The march began from her residence in Kalighat but was stopped by personnel of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) deployed near the area.

Despite the barricades, Banerjee, accompanied by party supporters, proceeded on foot and reached the main road on Harish Chatterjee Street as part of the demonstration.

Separately, a delegation comprising Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha member Dola Sen, Lok Sabha MP Pratima Mandal and former West Bengal Assembly Speaker Biman Banerjee visited Baruipur on Monday to meet those connected with the incident and assess the situation on behalf of the faction of the party that continues to support Mamata Banerjee and party General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee.