7 Tripura students hurt in college clash

Agartala: A rally organized by SFI against Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government led to a violent clash between supporters of the students’ body and Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) at Dharmanagar Degree College on Thursday afternoon, injuring seven students.
On Friday, BJP organized a protest rally in Dharmanagar, while the SFI took out a protest procession in Agartala.
Both CPM and BJP have lodged four cases against each other, while the college authorities have lodged separate FIRs against BJP leaders, alleging that the teachers were assaulted by them.
SP (North) Abhijit Saptarsi said nobody has been arrested so far. However, investigation is on and steps are being taken to ease the tension. “We have taken measures to restore normalcy and extra deployment of forces has been made to maintain peace,” said Saptarsi.
BJP state president Sudhindra Dasgupta said BJP held a protest rally in Dharmanagar on Friday demanding action against CPM leaders for indulging in violence and the college principal for leveling false allegations against BJP.
He alleged that ABVP supporters were pressurized to join the SFI rally. But when they refused, they were assaulted on the college campus. When BJP Yuba Murcha leaders reached the college after half an hour, CPM cadres attacked them with sticks. The college principal and a few other teachers did not prevent the attack or report the matter to police immediately.
“As a result, five BJP supporters, including three ABVP activists and two SFI supporters, sustained serious injuries. BJP Yuba Murcha president Shubhajit Bhowmik has been admitted to Agartala Government Medical College (AGMC) in a critical condition,” said Dasgupta.
CPM’s North Tripura district secretary Amitava Datta alleged that BJP leaders and RSS cadres suddenly attacked the rallyists. Later, they entered the principal’s chamber and abused him, said Datta. He added that supporters of the saffron party also raised communal slogans on the campus.