The Bengal police on Friday defended its action on the protesting teaching and non-teaching staff last night at Bikash Bhawan, saying the cops had shown restraint till the last moment but had to use limited force to escort those stuck inside the building for more than eight hours.

“There were 500-600 employees and visitors at Bikash Bhawan who wanted to leave for their homes. But the protesters would not allow them to. The police requested several times to let the employees but they would not listen,” said Supratim Sarkar, ADG (South Bengal).

He said the demonstrations were peaceful for the last 10 days.

“Police became proactive two hours after the office hours started. An incident had happened with a politician earlier in the day but the cops showed restraint,” he said.

Thursday’s march to Bikash Bhawan by teachers and non-teaching staff, dismissed by a Supreme Court verdict last month, turned violent late in the night hours after the office was under siege.

Employees at the Bikash Bhawan were stuck inside the building while the protesters scuffled with the cops and alleged Trinamool supporters throughout the day.

“The cops had acted with restraint and patience. If they wanted to use force, they would have the moment the gates of Bikash Bhawan were broke open,” said Sarkar. “If government property is attacked, then the movement is neither democratic nor peaceful.”

Last night’s violence left many protesters bleeding, who claimed to have been stuck by police batons. The cops too alleged they were hit by bricks while trying to make safe passage for the employees and the visitors.

“There were elderly people, women and even a pregnant woman. Out of desperation one woman jumped from the mezzanine floor and has fractured her leg. One employee pleaded that he needs to reach home to give his mother, her medicines, but he was not allowed,” said Sarkar. “If they have the right to protest, don’t these people have the right to reach their homes?”

The ADG (law and order) Jawed Shamim deflected the blame for the escalation at Bikash Bhawan on protesters.

“Maybe they thought they were not getting due attention since the protests were peaceful. It is unfortunate that peaceful protests do not get due attention, it is our collective failure. They can answer why they took to violence last night,” said Shamim. “Our only purpose was to remove the blockade without affecting others who were not involved and get those inside out. We had no other intention.”

Shamim said if anything untoward had happened to the pregnant woman inside Bikash Bhawan, the blame would have been on the cops.