Protesters clashed with police in northern West Bengal’s Siliguri city on Thursday during a demonstration over the assault of a pregnant tribal woman.

Members of the RSS-backed Janjati Suraksha Manch were on the way to gherao Uttarkanya, the branch secretariat of the state government. The clash broke out when they attempted to breach police barricades near Tin Batti Mor.

Police said they used tear gas shells and water cannons to disperse the demonstrators, along with a "mild" lathi charge. Several protesters were detained from the site, they added.

The demonstrators demanded capital punishment for a civic volunteer accused of assaulting the woman, whose unborn child died.

The incident took place on December 23, when a land dispute in the Phansidewa area led to an altercation between two groups. During the clash, the woman was allegedly assaulted by the civic volunteer, according to police.

While the accused civic volunteer has been arrested, demonstrators allege that four other persons involved in the incident remain at large.