The Kolkata Police on Thursday registered FIRs against West Bengal Education Minister Bratya Basu, his vehicle’s driver, and Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Om Prakash Mishra over the March 1 incident at Jadavpur University (JU), where two students were allegedly hit by the minister’s vehicle during a campus ruckus.
The FIRs come a day after the Calcutta High Court directed the police to act on complaints filed by the agitating students instead of only considering the grievances of the Trinamool Congress-affiliated West Bengal College & University Professors’ Association (WBCUPA). The accused face multiple charges, including physical assault and issuing threats.
The incident took place when Minister Basu’s vehicle entered the JU campus and was stopped by protesting students demanding immediate elections for the university’s students’ council. A scuffle ensued, and as the minister attempted to leave, his car allegedly ran over two students, causing severe injuries that required hospitalization.
Expressing satisfaction over the development, Amit Roy, father of one of the injured students, Indranuj Roy, said, “In a democracy, the police must act impartially. The High Court’s order proves why people trust the judiciary.”
Following the court’s directive, Justice Tirthankar Ghosh also asked the state government to submit a detailed report on the incident. Meanwhile, amid the protests, Minister Basu sustained minor injuries and was admitted to S.S.K.M. Medical College & Hospital before being discharged.
