Kolkata, Oct 13: At least half a dozen protestors were injured today when police resorted to lathicharge to disperse activists of West Bengal Youth Congress who tried to stage a demonstration in front of the state secretariat against the recent transport fare hike. A group of youth Congress activists gathered in front of the main gate of the writers' building, despite prohibitory orders in the area, shouting anti-government slogans during peak office hours.

Police personnel posted at the secretariat immediately swung into action and resorted to lathicharge to disperse them, police said. A number of youth Congress supporters were also arrested. Though police said there were no injury but state youth Congress president Amitabha Chakraborty claimed that at least six youth Congress activists were injured and three of them sustained head injuries during "unprovoked" police lathicharge on "peaceful" demonstrators.

Chakraborty also accused police of partisan attitude as it was not preventing Left Front's youth and student organisations to take out procession today to protest against the Calcutta High Court order banning rallies and processions on weekdays but used lathis to foil youth Congress protest programme.

Bureau Report