Kolkata, Sep 2 (IANS): Thousands of junior doctors and medical students in Kolkata have started an indefinite dharna after their protest march to the police headquarters was stopped far away from it on Monday afternoon.

The protest march demanding the resignation of Kolkata Police Commissioner, Vineet Kumar Goyal, started from College Square in North Kolkata and started proceeding towards the city police headquarters.

However, the cops stopped them at Central Avenue, which is quite far from the city police headquarters.

The protesting doctors immediately sat on the street right at the place where they were stopped.

The organisers of the rally said that either they should be allowed to go up to the gate of the city police headquarters so that a small delegation can submit a memorandum seeking the resignation of the top cop, or the Police Commissioner himself will have to come to that place to accept the note.

Although the police officers deputed there tried to convince the protesters, the junior doctors and medical students stuck to their demands.

“The Police Commissioner is taking a test of our patience. But we are doctors. We will not resort to any kind of violence. If necessary, we will continue with our sit-demonstration for an indefinite period. Our demands are justice for the junior doctor of RG Kar Medical College & Hospital and the resignation of the Police Commissioner,” said an organiser of the protest march that was conducted under the banner of West Bengal Junior Doctors’ Forum.

Meanwhile, while continuing with their arguments with the police officers, the junior doctors set a rare example of courtesy by gifting the cops red roses.

However, the effigy of the Police Commissioner was burnt at the dharna site.

Meanwhile, the entire area around the city police headquarters is under a tight security cover, with nine-foot-high barricades being raised at two places.

The first was at the Central Avenue where the protest march was stopped and the second near the city police headquarters.

In solidarity with the protesting healthcare professionals, junior doctors at the district-based medical colleges and hospitals have also started demonstrations at their respective hospitals.