Kolkata, India: The SSC (School Service Commission) recruitment scam has left a trail of shattered careers and deep public disillusionment across West Bengal. Thousands of candidates who had cleared the selection process found their appointments canceled after the Calcutta High Court flagged widespread irregularities. For over a year, many of these now jobless teachers have been staging protests across the state, seeking justice and reinstatement. On Wednesday, their agitation took a violent and alarming turn in Kolkata.
Lathis and Chaos at Kasba: Police Clamp Down on Peaceful Protest
In a coordinated statewide movement, jobless teachers laid siege to multiple District Inspector (DI) offices to press for their demands. Tensions escalated dramatically in Kasba when protesters tried to cross barricades outside the local DI office. Eyewitnesses described a sudden and aggressive police response.
“What followed was sheer brutality,” said one teacher. “They beat us with sticks, kicked us with boots. I was bleeding. Even after I fell, they kept hitting.”
A woman protester sobbed uncontrollably, saying, “They targeted sensitive parts of our bodies. It was barbaric. Is this done without orders? One official promises us hope, another orders a crackdown!”
Cries of Despair: ‘We’ve Lost Everything’
The streets were strewn with bloodied, weeping protesters—many of them former educators with years of service. “We’ve lost everything—our jobs, our dignity. If no one listens now, we are truly finished,” said a teacher leaning against a broken barricade.
The protests had a scattered footprint across the city and suburbs—outside BJP MP Abhijit Gangopadhyay’s residence, in front of district education offices, and other prominent locations. Their slogans were not political but desperate: “Give us back our jobs.”
Anger Boils Over: ‘Let the Chief Minister Face Us’
As police tightened control, tempers frayed further. One protester shouted: “Let the Chief Minister face us in public—not from a stage at Netaji Indoor Stadium, but face-to-face. Let’s see how much law she really knows!”
Another, enraged and injured, yelled: “If lathi-charge doesn’t scare you enough, shoot us. Kill us. At least then this suffering will end.”
Internal Inquiry Ordered Amid Mounting Criticism
In the face of growing outrage and viral visuals of alleged police excesses, the Kolkata Police has sought an urgent report on the incident. Sources confirmed that Deputy Commissioner of South Suburban Division, Bidisha Kalita Dasgupta, has been asked to explain what prompted the force to resort to lathi-charge on what many described as a peaceful protest.
The move indicates mounting pressure on the city police, with senior officials keen to assess whether standard protocols were followed before using force.
Police Claim Injury to Officers
Meanwhile, Kolkata Police claimed that three officers were injured during the melee, allegedly pushed down when protesters attempted to bring down barricades. One officer reportedly sustained serious injuries. Authorities, however, have remained silent on allegations of disproportionate force used against unarmed protestors.
A Crisis of Trust
The SSC fiasco has snowballed into a crisis of trust—not just in the recruitment system but now in law enforcement. With no political or administrative resolution in sight, and emotions running high on the ground, the standoff between the state and its disillusioned educators seems poised to intensify.
