Kolkata: Tensions flared again at Jadavpur University (JU) on Monday as students staged protests after police officers in civilian clothes entered the campus. The officials, from Jadavpur Police Station, visited the office of Professor Omprakash Mishra after he faced student agitation upon his arrival at the International Relations department.
Professor Mishra had earlier announced on social media that he would be present in his department from noon. However, students locked his office door in protest and Mishra was able to enter after removing the lock. The situation escalated further when police officers, including female personnel, entered his office, prompting students to question under whose orders they had arrived.
As tensions rose, students staged a gherao outside Mishra’s office, demanding to know under whose orders the police had entered the campus. The impasse was eventually defused when members of the Jadavpur University Teachers’ Association (JUTA) intervened, requesting the officers to vacate the office. However, police officials remained stationed outside the building.
Sources from Kolkata Police defended the entry, citing the March 1 incident. “The High Court has already questioned the police’s failure that day, including how many officers were injured. Given the tense situation today, the police were sent,” a source stated.
However, JUTA took a firm stance against police presence on campus. JUTA secretary Partha Pratim Roy said: “We saw police in civilian dress upon arriving on campus. It is not desirable for police to enter the university as it creates tension.
Therefore, we requested them to leave. The police showed an order, but Omprakash Mishra insisted he had not called them. We do not support personal attacks, that’s why we stood by the teacher in this matter.” Professor Mishra denied any involvement in the police presence, saying: “I did not call the police. I have no idea why they came. I arrived at JU as previously announced, and some professors had come to meet me.
A few students, particularly female students, were expressing their views. By preventing me from entering the university, they are damaging its reputation.”
Meanwhile, some police officials maintained that there were no restrictions on their entry to JU for law and order concerns. Amidst the renewed agitation, university authorities held a meeting with the protesting students, who submitted a charter of demands.
These included legal and medical support for those affected by the March 1 incident, an emergency Executive Council meeting, a ban on Professor Mishra entering the campus, and an end to police harassment of students. The meeting was attended by pro vice-chancellor (V-C) Amitava Dutta, joint registrar Sanjoy Gopal Sarkar, dean of students Rajat Ray and departmental heads. Meanwhile, a fresh
petition was filed at the Calcutta High Court on Monday alleging police excesses against the students of Jadavpur University (JU).
The petition is learnt to have been filed at the bench of Justice Tirthankar Ghosh. It was reportedly filed by an SFI activist alleging that the police is repeatedly and unnecessarily summoning the university students in the name of an investigation. The matter is likely to be heard on Tuesday.