Tuesday, May 28, 2024 06:45 [IST]
Last Update: Tuesday, May 28, 2024 01:16 [IST]
SILIGURI,: Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad
(ABVP) today launched a 24-hour student strike at North Bengal University (NBU)
demanding the expulsion and punishment of Prof. Siddharth Shankar Laha, who is
allegedly involved in the death of research scholar Babita Dutta.
This morning, ABVP members closed the
university’s second gate and locked the doors of various departments,
disrupting the campus activities.
The strike follows the discovery of
Babita Dutta’s body, a research student in the Rural Development department,
who was found hanging in the Shivmandir area on May 16. Babita’s brother filed
a murder complaint against Prof. Laha at the Matigara police station, accusing
him of having a physical relationship with Babita and later refusing to marry
her. The Toofanganj resident had also left a suicide note mentioning this
relationship and Prof. Laha’s refusal to marry her.
Following the incident, Prof. Laha was
removed from his position and his role as hostel superintendent. Police have
gathered multiple pieces of information from Babita’s mobile phone as part of
their investigation. Since the incident, ABVP has been actively demanding
action against the professor.
Today's 24-hour strike comes after an
indefinite strike two days ago. The university's operations were severely
impacted as all classes were suspended and students refrained from attending.
ABVP central committee member Subhabrata
Adhikari stated, “We will not allow the principal to escape from this case and
demand an immediate arrest. The strike started today for 24 hours but will
continue further if the arrest is not made promptly. The principal cannot
simply run away and hide. The ruling State government is trying to protect him
as he is a supporter of the Trinamool Congress.”
Prof. Laha, who was the head of the
Department of Lifelong Learning and Extension at NBU and superintendent of
Vidyasagar Hall of Residence, is currently absconding since the news
broke.
