Jadavpur University violence: Police start investigation following Calcutta HC directive, take statements of injured student, TMC leader

SFI leader Srijan Bhattacharya called, produces videos related to the commotion

Three days after a Calcutta High Court order, the Kolkata Police on Saturday launched an investigation in an FIR against State Education Minister Bratya Basu over the recent violent protests at Jadavpur University on March 1- during Basu's visit to the campus- that injured a student.

As part of the probe, Kolkata police on Saturday have taken the statements of injured student Indranuj Roy and Trinamool Congress professor leader Omprakash Mishra.

SFI leader Srijan Bhattacharya was also called from Jadavpur Police Station for questioning.

The police filed an FIR against Basu, and Mishra in relation to the JU violence, after Roy sent them his complaint by post on March 2. Roy is undergoing treatment in a private hospital and his e-mail has been considered as an FIR following the Calcutta High Court order.

Four policemen and the investigation officer of the case and one woman police officer visited the hospital on Saturday and recorded Roy's statement. As per sources, the police sought to know what precisely occurred on March 1. "They recorded written statements as well as video-graphed the statement," Indranuj's father quoted.

The police also went to the house of Jadavpur University professor and TMC leader Omprakash Mishra. "A police team came to my house and requested me to tell them what had happened on March 1. I told them in detail," Omprakash said after submitting a statement.

Another student of JU and Students' Federation of India (SFI) activist Abhinab Basu was reportedly injured by Misra's vehicle.

On the other hand, the police also called SFI leader Srijan Bhattacharya and requested him to send the videos that he has with regard to the March 1 incident for scrutiny.

Srijan arrived at Jadavpur PS at 6pm Saturday and in response to the mediapersons said, "I was called two days back. I have no problem and came to assist with the investigation. But I want to know why I was called, alone. Why weren't other TMC leaders called!"

On March 1, the SFI, AIDSO and other Left students' organisations protested against State Education Minister Bratya Basu's convoy entering the university campus with a demand for students' union elections throughout the state. Despite the agitation, some of the agitator students allegedly vandalised the minister's car. However, on the contrary, it was alleged that the minister's convoy had run over one of the agitating students, Indranuj Roy, who got injured and admitted to a private hospital later.

An FIR was filed against Basu, his driver, and Professor Om Prakash Mishra on Thursday (March 6) in relation to the violence. The FIR was prepared following the direction of Calcutta High Court on Wednesday (March 5) to treat the e-mail version of JU student Indranuj Roy as a complaint.

SFI members jam Kolkata roads, seek action against Basu

Students Federation of India (SFI) members of CPI(M)'s frontal organisation on Saturday evening temporarily occupied busy roads in various areas of the city, claiming that false cases had been filed against leaders and members of the outfit.

They also demanded legal action be initiated against State Education Minister Bratya Basu and some functionaries of the West Bengal College and University Professors’ Association (WBCUPA) on charges of causing injury to two student protestors on Jadavpur University campus on March 1.

Hundreds of SFI activists blocked the Nager Bazar crossing and Garia Crossing for half an hour, alleging that SFI state leader Srijan Bhattacharya and Kolkata district committee member Abhinab Basu were being framed under fabricated charges of assault in connection with the March 1 protest on campus.

They demanded the dropping of all charges against them and other leaders.

SFI state committee member Subhajit Sarkar informed PTI, "Hundreds of union activists participated in a procession from Kamalgazi More to Garia No. 5 bus terminus and briefly blocked a flank of the road.

We call for immediate legal action against Basu, who has caused harm to two student protestors by attempting to breach the human chain of our activists, who were only seeking an audience with the minister regarding the speedy conduct of student union elections and didn't resort to violence.". While cases have been registered against Srijan and other left activists, police are waiting over the complaint against Basu and other TMC-WBCUPA leaders," Sarkar alleged.

The other demands were conducting the student union election at Jadavpur University and other higher education institutions at the earliest.

The agitation caused traffic congestion for a while, but no untoward incident occurred, a senior police officer said.