West Bengal: Another student dies in Islampur clash

A college student, injured in a clash between a mob and the police in North Dinajpur, died Friday, pushing the death toll to two.

The BJP observed a 12-hour bandh in the West Bengal district over the incident on Friday.

Tapas Barman, a third-year student, succumbed to injuries in North Bengal Medical College and Hospital, officials said.

Rajesh Sarkar, an ITI student, died in the clash Thursday.

Locals alleged that the two students were killed in police firing but the SP of North Dinajpur, Sumnit Kumar, said the police did not open fire.

The SP, however, admitted that the deceased students had received bullet injuries and said the police were investigating who fired the gunshots.

Kumar said people in the mob were carrying illegal arms and bombs, and 14 police constables were injured in the clash.

He said seven people, including some BJP supporters, were detained in connection with the incident.

Both Barman and Sarkar were area residents and former students of Daribhit High School in Islampur area.

Trouble brewed over recruitment of Urdu teachers for the school as students said they needed science and english teachers.

The students and area residents stopped three newly-recruited Urdu teachers from entering the school Thursday, demanding that all vacant teaching posts be filled.

The Urdu teachers had previously tried to enter the school but they were not allowed, following which they took the help of police to enter the school campus Thursday.

The BJP had called a 12-hour bandh from 6 am in North Dinajpur district Friday.

Schools, colleges and other education institutions were closed in the affected area.

Two government buses were ransacked by bandh supporters in Raiganj, while private vehicles remained mostly off roads.

Altogether 15 bandh supporters were arrested from Islampur and Raiganj, the officials said.

Train services, however, remained unaffected.

The ruling Trinamool Congress and the opposition BJP traded charges over the incident.

"The RSS is bringing outsiders and indulging in politics there. The RSS or the BJP, whoever is responsible (for the incident) will not be spared," Education Minister and TMC leader Partha Chatterjee said in Kolkata.

State BJP president Dilip Ghosh said, "The TMC is seeing the ghost of RSS in everything. They should self-introspect and perform their duty. The police have opened fire on students which is not desirable."