Kolkata, July 7 (IANS) A single-judge bench of the Calcutta High Court on Tuesday granted conditional permission to a protest rally to be led by former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata on various issues, including the latest death of a minor girl, reportedly raped and murdered, at Baruipur in South 24 Parganas district.

After being denied police permission for the rally, Banerjee approached the single-judge bench of Justice Sougata Bhattacharya earlier in the day and pleaded for an urgent hearing.

The plea was admitted, and the matter came up for hearing in the second half on Tuesday. After a detailed hearing, Justice Bhattacharya’s bench ultimately granted conditional permission for the rally.

As per the conditions set by Justice Bhattacharya, the rally route will be restricted from Ballygunge Phari crossing to Hazra Crossing, both in South Kolkata. The court also restricted the rally to two hours, from 2.30 pm to 4.30 pm.

As per the court order, the rally should move through only one lane of the route, leaving the other lane free for vehicular movement. Not more than 1,000 people should be allowed to participate in the rally, as per the court order.

Banerjee had hit the streets on Monday to protest against the Baruipur mishap. The former chief minister began a candlelight protest march from her residence at Kalighat in South Kolkata on Monday.

However, that procession was stopped by central armed police forces (CAPF) personnel deployed near her residence. Banerjee and her companions and followers reached the main road of Harish Chatterjee Street with a procession, crossing the obstacles and barricades.

On Monday, Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha member Dola Sen, party Lok Sabha member Pratima Mandal, and former West Bengal Assembly Speaker Biman Banerjee went to Baruipur representing the “original but minority” faction in Trinamool Congress’s legislative party in West Bengal, which continues with its allegiance towards Banerjee and her nephew, Abhishek Banerjee, also the party’s general secretary.

–IANS

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