FIR filed against Bengal education minister Bratya Basu following Jadavpur University clashes

Kolkata: The Kolkata Police have registered a First Information Report (FIR) against West Bengal Education Minister Bratya Basu, along with his car driver and professor and Trinamool Congress leader Om Prakash Mishra, in connection with the recent protests and violent clashes at Jadavpur University. Several students were injured during the incident, which took place on Saturday.

The complaint, filed by an injured student, alleges that Basu's car was involved in causing injuries amid the protest. The confrontation erupted as students demonstrated, demanding an immediate announcement of dates for student union elections in Bengal.

The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday criticised the state police for failing to control the violent altercation between Basu's convoy and student protesters. Justice Tirthankar Ghosh raised concerns about whether the incident resulted from an intelligence failure or the minister’s decision to disregard such warnings. He cautioned against allowing Kolkata to descend into a situation akin to Bangladesh and instructed the Trinamool Congress-led government to take appropriate measures to prevent similar confrontations in the future.

Amid the unrest, one individual was arrested on Sunday in connection with the ransacking and arson at the Sikkha Bondhu teachers’ union office on the university campus. The arrested suspect has been remanded in custody until March 12. Authorities have also lodged seven separate FIRs linked to the violent clashes.

The two-hour standoff at the university escalated when members of the CPM-affiliated student wing, the Students’ Federation of India (SFI), along with Naxalite student group AISA, encircled Basu’s convoy. The protesters damaged the vehicle’s windscreen and deflated its tyres, preventing the minister from leaving the campus. Officials from the West Bengal College and University Professors’ Association (WBCUPA) attempted to defuse the situation but were unsuccessful.

Following the chaos, Basu was taken to the state-run SSKM Hospital after complaining of uneasiness. He also sustained minor injuries, including cuts on his left hand due to shattered glass.

Eyewitnesses reported that as tensions flared, a group of students stormed the teachers’ union office, vandalising the premises and setting it on fire.