Visva Bharati University dismisses a professor and suspends five students for 'assaulting' Vice Chancellor

The five students, who have been suspended for a year, were two from Bidyabhavan, and one each from Bhasabhavan, Sikhsabhavan and Sangeet Bhavan, a VB notification said.

The suspended students have been given a 10-day show cause returnable notice asking them why the disciplinary suspension action would not be taken on them for allegedly fomenting trouble and assaulting teachers, including the VC during recent agitation.

A section of students has been on agitation demanding sacking of the VC. The professor, who has been dismissed, was allegedly supporting the agitating students.

The dismissed professor, who had been on suspension for nearly two years, was asked to take the classes.

However, the students' agitation, which in the third week of November had disrupted the classes in the campus.

Vice-Chancellor Bidyut Chakraborty alleged that the suspended students and the punished professor allegedly manhandled him and some of the teachers.

The punitive action was taken after examinations of the CCTV footage.

The dismissed professor said the VC was running the university in a dictatorial style and dubbed him as Tughlak.

"The dismissal order was summarily without giving any notification to him," alleged Sudipta Bhattacharya.

However, a notice was served to Bhattacharya for his defence, which is returnable within two weeks.

Meanwhile, Kolkata Mayor and Minister Firhad Hakim condemned the VB action and alleged the appointment of the VC was done by the people, who were accused of massacre and rioting in Gujarat.

BJP leader Sajal Ghosh strongly criticised Firhad Hakim and said the minister should look back at his past before jumping to any conclusion.