A college student and member of Trinamul Congress Chhatra Parishad (TMCP) of Bidhan Chandra College in Rishra lodged a complaint of molestation and torture against Sahid Hassan Khan, general secretary of the college.

The college authority has decided to form a committee to investigate, while the police have not taken any initiative in this regard. Later in the day, Mr Partha Chatterjee, state education minister, said that he was not aware of the incident. “I think the television channel is showing an old video clipping. I came to know about it from you all (news reporters). I have not seen it myself but I have immediately sought a report from the party’s Hooghly district chairman, Tapan Dasgupta, who is also a Cabinet minister.”

The victim alleged, the TMCP general secretary of the college, picked up a quarrel when she refused to hand over her mobile phone to him. She said: “Sahid Khan turned violent when I refused to hand over my mobile phone to him. He slapped me, made dirty gestures at me and even tried to throttle me… he issued life threats to me.

Once I had objected towards his malpractice of issuing illegal money bills to the students against sports subscription. My protest have practically infuriated him and thereafter he was always on the lookout
to humiliate me. I have lodged a complaint with the Chandannagar Commissionerate.

“I want strict steps against the GS who has brought bad name to the college as well as the party through his bad behaviour towards a female student.” His father, Jahid Hassan Khan, is the vice-chairman of Rishra Municipality. Khan, however, denied all the allegations. He said: “On 4 December while I was sitting in the college compound with other students, in an inebriated state, she approached me and behaved rudely. She also misbehaved with other students in the college compound.

I took her inside the college student union room were I pushed her aside when she tried to thrash me. I offered to sort out the differences but she refused. I suspect that she is trying to defame the college and the party.” The college teacher-incharge, Mr Ramesh Kar, assured of proper investigation and strict steps against the accused, if found guilty.

The party’s Hooghly district chairman, following the directive of state education minister, today visited Bidhan Chandra College to apprise himself of the entire incident an then submit a report to the education minister by tomorrow.