KOLKATA: A rally sans any political flag was taken out in the city on Friday evening to protest the gruesome burning of at least eight persons at Bogtui village in Birbhum earlier this week in an apparent retaliatory attack following the murder of a ruling Trinamool Congress panchayat deputy chief.
People from all walks of life, including students, academics, film directors and from other professionals participated in the rally.
The participants walked from Moulali in central Kolkata to Jorasanko Thakurbari, abode of the Tagore family, in the north to protest the killings, demanding justice for the families of the victims.
Academician Pabitra Sarkar, film directors Anik Dutta and Kamaleswar Mukhopadhyay were among those who took part in the rally.
"Our demand is that the perpetrators of the heinous crime are apprehended and brought to justice," Sarkar said.
Mukhopadhyay said that people should rise above political and personal interests and join the protests against the killings.
The participants held posters and banners in their hands terming this as a shameful incident.
Kolkata has a long history of intelligentsia coming on to the streets to protest issues sans any political colour.
The previous Left Front government too ad to face several such protests in the past including one against shooting of protestors at Nandigram, which the CPI(M) led government had earmarked to be part of a new chemical hub.