One more student dies in Bengal clash, toll two

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A youth, who sustained a bullet injury during a clash between agitating students and police in West Bengal's North Dinajpur district, died on Friday taking the toll to two in the incident.

A violent clash broke out between a mob and the police in North Dinajpur district's Islampur on Thursday over the appointment of teachers at Daribhit High School in the area, that left one student dead and several others injured.

Tapas Barman, a third-year student, died from his injuries in North Bengal Medical College and Hospital on Friday, officials said.

Rajesh Sarkar, an ITI student, was allegedly shot dead on Thursday.

Both the youths were alumni of the school where the skirmish took place.

While the family members of the deceased claimed they were killed in police firing, the state police maintained no bullets were fired from their side. On the contrary, the police claimed several armed men attacked their personnel on Thursday.

"There was no firing from our side. A violent mob gathered outside the school with bombs, illegal arms and sticks. We are investigating who fired the bullets and who all got hit. We are looking into the matter seriously," district police superintendent Sumit Kumar said.

"Many people, including a police constable, were injured in the incident. We have detained seven people. According to preliminary investigation some of them are BJP supporters. More investigation is required before I can comment further," he said.

The family members of Sarkar, one of the deceased, claimed their son was shot dead by the police when he reached the school premises on hearing about the clash.

"Our sister is a student of that school. She was at the spot yesterday and was attacked by the police. When my brother confronted them, they shot him using a silencer gun," Sarkar's brother alleged.

"My son was working in his shop. He was hit by a bullet as soon as he came out on the street to see what was happening in the school. He was a former student of the same school but was not involved in the ongoing agitation there," Barman's father claimed.

According to police and local sources, the situation worsened over the past two days after the recruitment of three school teachers for Urdu and Sanskrit.

The students, who had been demanding appointment of teachers for Bengali and Science subjects, stopped the new teachers from entering the school, and put up a road blockade. The agitators clashed with the police when they arrived at the spot.

Police said they resorted to baton charge and lobbed tear gas shells to disperse the crowd and maintain law and order.

State education minister Partha Chatterjee accused the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh of instigating the violence and said strong action would be taken against those found guilty.

"We are certain that RSS has played a significant role in the incident. They are bringing in people from outside and trying to indulge in the politics of death. Whoever is found involved in the violence, whether they are from BJP or RSS, will not be spared," Chatterjee said.

--IANS

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