Mohun Bagan vs Bengaluru FC: Tifos unfurled during Durand Cup 2024 semifinal demanding justice in R. G. Kar case

The West Bengal government had previously laid down stringent instructions against tifos in the stadium during the semifinal on August 27, which the Calcutta High Court struck down.

Thousands of fans filled up the Salt Lake Stadium with tifos and posters as Mohun Bagan Super Giant beat Bengaluru FC 4-3 in penalties to enter the final of Durand Cup 2024. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

The Durand Cup 2024 semifinal saw tifos for justice regarding the death of a postgraduate trainee doctor at R. G. Kar Hospital after the Calcutta High Court allowed their use on Tuesday.

Thousands of fans filled up the Salt Lake Stadium as Mohun Bagan Super Giant beat Bengaluru FC 4-3 in penalties to enter the final of Durand Cup 2024.

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And among them were several who raised their voices demanding quick justice for the rape and murder of a 31-year-old trainee doctor at R. G. Kar Hospital, Kolkata, on August 9.

‘Amader bon er bichar chai’ (We need justice for our younger sister) and ‘ Haath e haath rekhe e lorai, amader bon er bichar chai’ (we will fight hand-in-hand, we will fight for justice for our younger sister) were some of the slogans used vocally or through posters and tifos at the stadium.

A tifo demanding justice in the R. G. Kar case, unfurled during the Durand Cup 2024 semifinal, at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

The West Bengal government had previously laid down stringent instructions against tifos, drums or smoke candles in the stadium during the semifinal on August 27.

But the decision was struck down by Calcutta’s High Court’s division bench, led by Justice Hiranmoy Tandon and Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharyya.

The court said that it was not in favour of the decision to forbid tifos because it had become a part of the game and that the (state) government had not taken a similar measure on previous occasion(s).

However, it said that tifos made with hard materials would not be allowed in the stadium.

The fans traditionally come up with innovative tifos and banners conveying support to their favourite teams and players.

But after the previous match – the Kolkata football derby featuring the two city giants Mohun Bagan SG and East Bengal on August 18 – was abandoned against the backdrop of mounting protests against the R. G. Kar incident, the police looked to not take any chances with the fans.

But this time, the match happened without major security issues and Mohun Bagan qualified for the final, following a penalty shootout.