Protesting Calcutta Medical College students allege late-night assault by cops, outsiders
Kolkata, July 6 (IBNS): In a rerun of the Jadavpur University incident that triggered the Hok Kolorob movement in 2014, students of Calcutta Medical College and Hospital alleged that they were assaulted and manhandled late in the night by police during a sit-in-demonstration in front of the principal's office inside the campus at College Street area on Thursday.
According to reports, demanding accommodation in the newly built hostel, students of the second, third and fourth years of Kolkata's prestigious medical college had gheraoed the principal and other officials of the institute since evening.
Students said police suddenly cracked down on their peaceful agitation at around 11 pm by assaulting them. Police, however, denied the charge.
Students told IBNS that a huge police force suddenly reached the scene and while escorting the principal out of his office, they manhandled them.
"At night, suddenly police and a large number of 'unknown' outsiders intervened in our peaceful protest and when they were taking our principal and other officials out of the office, cops assaulted and manhandled us. Besides knocking us down, they slapped us, kicked us and punched us," a student told IBNS.
"Few girl students, who had joined our demonstration, were also manhandled badly. At least 10 protesters were injured during the scuffle out of which two were hurt very seriously," he added.
Agitating students, however, said that their demonstration will continue.
Newly-appointed principal of Calcutta Medical College and Hospital, Uchchhal Bhadra, refused to comment on the matter.
(Reporting by Deepayan Sinha)
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