Ex-SC judge A.K. Ganguly backs JU students

Expressing solidarity with Jadavpur University students, former Supreme Court judge A.K. Ganguly Saturday questioned the city police chief's claim that the students were not baton charged.

While the students have claimed several of them were injured after police allegedly beat them up Wednesday when they were protesting outside vice chancellor Abhijit Chakrabarty's office, Police Commissioner Surajit Kar Purakayastha refuted claims that the students were baton charged or assaulted.

"I can't agree with what the police commissioner has claimed. He says police did not carry any lathi (baton) but the videos telecast by news channels clearly show them carrying lathis," said Ganguly, a former chairman of the state's human rights panel.

The police chief's claims have already been contested by political parties, including the Congress and the BJP.

Ganguly also expressed his support to the students who have been rallying seeking the removal of Chakrabarty as well as an independent probe into the alleged sexual harassment of a student of the university.

Taking a jibe at Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who Thursday without making any reference called the incident a "petty matter", Ganguly said: "This is not at all a petty matter, I surely support it".

Earlier in the day, thousands of students, men and women from all walks of life, braved a heavy downpour to walk in unison demanding the resignation of the vice chancellor.