West Bengal: Youth killed during protest over teacher appointments

DIG Jayanta Pal said, “We received a report that one person died due to bullet injuries. The police did not fire bullets. We will enquire as to what happened.”

North Dinajpur SP Sumit Kumar said, “We have fired rubber bullets and tear gas shells. We did not fire bullets. Our men were injured and the protesters vandalised police vehicles.”

Chairman of Islampur Municipality and Trinamool Congress MLA Kanhaiyalal Agarwal, who was present at the hospital where Sarkar’s body was taken, said, “I have spoken to the officer-in-charge of Islampur police station. He categorically told me that the police did not open fire.”

According to police and local sources, a group of students started protesting when three new teachers visited the school. The students had been demanding appointment of teachers to teach literature and science in Bengali, claiming that there was a shortage of such teachers.

However, the three new teachers teach Urdu and Sanskrit. When the teachers tried to enter the school, they were thwarted by students, who were later joined by former students and local residents. The agitating students blocked the road in front of the school.

A large police contingent soon reached the spot. An altercation started and police resorted to lathicharge, following which protesters lobbed bricks and stones. Later, police resorted to tear gas shells and rubber bullets. A number of police personnel were injured and some police vehicles were vandalised.

Most of the injured were admitted at Islampur sub-divisional hospital, while one person with critical injuries has been sent to a hospital in Siliguri.

Questions persist over who opened fire during the clash.

The headmaster of the school refused to comment on the incident. “Please contact the administration,” said Abhijit Kundu, the headmaster of the co-ed school that was set up in 1969.

District Magistrate Arvind Kumar Mina said, “I have got news of a death. Police have gone there to take control. I am yet to get a report on the reason of the death.”

TMC MLA from Goalphokor, Md Gulam Rabbani, said, “Whatever happened is unwanted. police should probe how the student died. Using force on students is unacceptable.”

Meanwhile, the local BJP unit called for a 12-hour bandh starting Friday morning to protest the death. District BJP president Sankar Chakraborty said, “It is surprising how they could press the trigger in a school…”

Left leader Sujan Chakraborty referred to the incident as “astonishing”.

“It is quite natural that students will hold protests demanding education… The chief minister, who is also the police minister, should reply as to why her men have become so trigger happy.”