The students were protesting against fresh allotments in the medical college hostel. Among the injured, Manik Rajwar and Bitan Kumar Dutta were admitted at the emergency department of the hospital. Their condition is stated to be stable.
“We were called in by the hospital authorities. We tried to talk with the agitating students. But it failed and we had to forcibly evict them. The situation is under control now,” said Ajay Ranade, Deputy Commissioner of Police, (Central).
According to sources, around 80 medical students — supporters of Medical College Democratic Students Association (DSA) — gathered at the physiology department in the main building of the hospital around 5 pm. They started raising slogans and gheraoed Prof P K Dasgupta, the main hostel dean.
The students alleged that the college authorities had allotted several rooms of the main hostel to freshers, most of whom were SFI supporters. Since the hostel is already full, the students protested against the move.
Around 8 pm, the hospital authorities called in the police who lathicharged the students.
“We do not have any space left in our main hostel, but the authorities are deliberately admitting freshers. We have tried to speak to the dean a number of times, but he refused to listen to us. So, we decided to agitate. But suddenly the police were called in who lathicharged us,” said Ratul Banerjee, a third year student and a member of DSA.