Presidency students hold sit-in, prevent faculty to leave

A section of students of the Presidency University on Tuesday evening launched a sit-in in the main varsity building preventing the six-member inquiry committee, formed to probe the incident of locking the main gate of varsity campus on September 10, to leave.

The inquiry committee members were not prevented from moving within the campus by the agitating students who wanted to know on what basis the committee had earlier recommended the suspension of three students for locking the campus, one of the agitating students Ujan told PTI.

"We will continue the sit-in outside the chamber of EC members indefinitely unless there is satisfactory reply on the part of the inquiry panel on what basis they had identified the three students as trouble makers on September 10 and recommended their suspension ... We will not prevent them from leaving the campus which they can only do by physically removing us," he said.

The sit-in began even as the indefinite fast by six students of Presidency, including three suspended students, entered 96 hours on Tuesday evening demanding withdrawal of the suspension.

The three students were suspended on December 19 for locking the gate of the university and preventing the Vice Chancellor and other officials from entering the premises on September 10 when agitation over the hand over of Hindu Hostel was going on.

Members of both SFI and Independent Consolidation (IC) are taking part in the agitation.

The agitating students said while a written appeal by the three to the university authorities for revoking the suspension order had been turned down, they were asked to issue "unconditional apology".

"We can consider that only after fully knowing on what ground the three were suspended," Ujan said.

Boarders were allocated rooms in the Hindu Hostel since November 28, the over 130-year-old accommodation, after completion of renovation in two blocks.

Students had gone on fast for immediate shifting to Hindu Hostel in October last year.