Kolkata: Four students accused of assaulting the headmaster of Jalpaiguri Zilla School will be issued Transfer Certificates (TCs) and barred from continuing their studies at the institution, West Bengal School Education Minister Dipak Barman said on Friday.

However, the students will be allowed to seek admission to other schools to ensure that the action does not affect their education, Barman said.

The minister visited the nearly 150-year-old government school in Jalpaiguri town on Friday and held discussions with education department officials and school staff.

During the meeting, Barman directed the District Inspector (DI) of Schools to issue TCs to the four primary accused students by Saturday.

The action follows an incident on September 8, when headmaster Dharmachand Barui was allegedly pushed to the ground and punched by a group of students following a dispute over a special midday meal. He was subsequently hospitalised.

Barui, however, was also accused of assaulting some students before the clash.

The special midday meal is usually served to students on Teachers' Day. This year, it was scheduled for September 8, but some students complained that they had not received sufficient quantities of rice and chicken curry.

A preliminary inquiry by the district school education department held both sides responsible for the clash.

Barui was subsequently directed to proceed on 15 days' leave from September 9, while Rapid Action Force (RAF) personnel were deployed at the school to restore discipline.

Classes at the institution have also been suspended temporarily for a week. PTI