7 FIRs, 1 arrest, arson probe as Left JU unions dig in heels
Times of India | 3 March 2025
Kolkata: The Jadavpur University (JU) campus seems to be facing an extended period of unrest after SFI on Sunday called for a students' strike at all state universities on Monday, even as the cops arrested a former student and registered seven FIRs in connection with the trouble on campus on Saturday.
Education minister Bratya Basu was heckled when students supporting SFI and the CPIML-affiliated AISA raised "go back" slogans at him. JU academics, including interim vice-chancellor Bhaskar Gupta, also bore the brunt of students' ire during a melee, in which first-year English honours student Indranuj Roy — an SFI supporter — was injured by the minister's car.
Basu's car was also damaged, the meeting venue ransacked, several university professors thrashed and a university employees' union office was set on fire. Several women students also reported being molested. In all, seven FIRs have been lodged: two suo motu by Jadavpur cops; three by university teachers; one FIR of molestation by a TMCP student; and one filed by SFI, against Basu, for rash driving.
One arrest has been made. Sahil Ali (25), a former JU student who now works at an IT firm, was picked up from Bijoygarh. He was remanded in police custody till March 12. "We are investigating all seven cases. So far, only one person has been arrested in the case of arson. A probe is on to nab others as well," said city police commissioner Manoj Varma.
At least seven engineering departments have first-semester exams scheduled on Monday. The HS exams are also set to begin from Monday. The protesting organisations, however, stressed that while they will boycott classes and urge for suspension of official work on campuses, there would be no road blockade that could cause any trouble to HS examinees. An SFI office-bearer said their strike was to demand Basu's resignation.
On Sunday, Basu said there was an attempt to turn JU into a "free zone" for hooliganism. "I feel sad that a student was injured after being hit by my car. But it is unfortunate and regrettable that students are attacking teachers. There was a gang of 30-40 people; I don't know them. They were seeking to cause trouble," he told the press on Sunday.
The cops' suo motu complaints were against unknown students of JU for "wrongfully restraining Basu and his companions and assaulting them with bricks, and also for damaging their cars". "A case has been initiated under appropriate sections dealing with wrongful restraint, causing grievous hurt and sections under the PDPP act for damaging and arson of public property said a senior officer of Kolkata police.
Manikanta Paria, WBCUPA president and assistant professor, department of education, lodged a complaint naming multiple students, including Indranuj, for "assaulting Bratya Basu and obstructing his movement." Firoz Ali Lashkar, a final-year library science PG student and a TMCP member, lodged another complaint alleging that he and his friends were assaulted and Rs 3,000, a wristwatch and a gold chain snatched from them.
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