Two days after the alleged assault on the principal of a college at Raiganj in the State's Uttar Dinajpur district by supporters of the Trinamool Congress, Tilak Chowdhury, the party's district working president and one of the main accused in the incident surrendered in the district court on Saturday.
Pressure was mounting on Mr. Chowdhury to surrender after widespread criticism over the incident. Shortly after Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's comments that since the local leaders have walked into a trap laid by other political parties they will now have to face action, the local Trinamool leader gave himself up.
Santosh Singh, Inspector General of West Bengal Police (North Bengal) told The Hindu over telephone said that Mr. Chowdhury surrendered in the court and was later granted bail.
Alleging that the principal of the University College, D. De Sarkar, had acted under political pressure, Mr. Chowdhury said that he surrendered on the directions of the party. After being released, Mr. Chowdhury alleged that Congress MP Deepa Dasmunshi was behind the incident and demanded her arrest.
Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly and the former Communist Party of India (Marxist) Minister, Surya Kanta Mishra, said that while those accused in the case were being released on bail, the government was blaming the principal. “Instead of standing by the principal so that he could administer the college properly he is being criticised…In this situation how will the academic atmosphere be restored there,” he asked.
In the wake of Thursday's incident, where the principal was allegedly assaulted and the college premises were ransacked, the authorities decided to close the college for an indefinite period. The principal tendered his resignation. The situation in the Raiganj town remained tense with no word from the college authorities on its reopening. Police said 12 persons, including Mr. Chowdhury, have been arrested so far.
