Congress seeks probe into Jadavpur University police assault

Leaders of the West Bengal unit of the Congress Friday met Governor K.N. Tripathi and demanded a judicial probe into what they called a "barbaric assault" on students of Jadavpur University by police.

A delegation of the state Congress committee called on Tripathi and submitted a memorandum, demanding his intervention to solve the impasse and removal of Jadavpur University vice chancellor Abhijit Chakrabarty.

"We said what happened in Jadavpur University is barbaric. The vice chancellor has lost his credibility. He must be removed. There should also be a judicial probe into the police assault," state Congress chief Adhir Chowdhury told reporters after coming out of Raj Bhavan here.

Many students of the university were hospitalised after police allegedly beat them Wednesday as they were protesting outside Chakrabarty's office, seeking a fresh inquiry into the sexual harassment of a student on the campus last month.

The police crackdown has been widely condemned, with students and political parties demanding Chakrabarty's removal as the vice chancellor.

Both Police Commissioner Surajit Kar Purakayastha and Education Minister Partha Chatterjee have refuted claims that the students were baton charged or assaulted.

Political parties, students and members of civil society have condemned the police chief for uttering what they dubbed "blatant lies".