19 Bengal students rusticated for assaulting teachers

A West Bengal university Sunday cancelled registrations of 19 students of a college in South Dinajpur district after they assaulted teachers and university officials who did not allow them to use unfair means during exams.

The students belong to the Dewan Abdul Gani College in Harirampur affiliated to the University of Gour Banga.

"I have used the emergency powers bestowed in the office of the vice-chancellor and taken the decision," said varsity vice-chancellor Achintya Biswas.

Several teachers and the university's controller of examination Sanatan Das Saturday had to take refuge inside a bathroom after being assaulted by a large number of students who were not allowed to indulge in copying.

Biswas said similar action may also be taken in Meghnad Saha College in North Dinajpur district where too teachers, including the principal, were attacked Tuesday for preventing the wife of a local Trinamool Congress leader from cheating during an examination.

In both the cases, the college authorities have lodged police complaints.

Meanwhile, 24 supporters of the Students Federation of India (SFI) were remanded to judicial custody by a court in connection with Saturday's attack on a teacher-in-charge of Kalinagar Mahavidyalya in North 24 Parganas district.

The teacher, Manoranjan Naskar, had alleged that he was attacked with iron chains by SFI members.

Condemning the twin incidents, Governor M.K. Narayanan Saturday had directed the state's director general of police to take strict action against the guilty students.