In an apparently unheard-before move in the history of the Jadavpur University (JU), policemen in plainclothes entered the campus on Monday, intensifying 10 day-long ongoing protests organised by the CPI-M-affiliated SFI and other left-leaning students’ union inside the campus since 1 March.

A meeting to resolve the stalemate in the campus could not be held with the students protesting against the presence of Prof Om Prakash Mishra of International Relations (IR) department, this afternoon.

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In order to restore normalcy in the campus, a meeting was scheduled between the acting vice-chancellor (VC) Prof Bhaskar Gupta and agitating students around 11.30 a.m. but could not be held till this evening allegedly due to the presence of Prof Mishra, a senior member of the ruling Trinamul Congress-backed West Bengal College and University Professors Association (WBCUPA).

With directives of the High Court, Kolkata Police (KP) have already lodged FIRs against the education minister and WBCUPA chairman Bratya Basu, Prof Mishra and the minister’s driver after the incident of violence between teachers belonging to the association and protesting SFI and other Left students’ union on 1 March. Two protestors, Indranuj Roy and Abhinab Bose were injured after the minister’s car allegedly hit the agitating students when they prevented him from leaving the campus.

Today, around 12 noon, when Prof Mishra arrived at the university gate, the students protested him from entering the campus.

Prof Mishra was seen requesting the agitators backed by SFI saying, “Please let me go to my office. I should be allowed to go there.”

He was later escorted to his office in the IR department building by policemen in plainclothes.

The protestors were blocking the door to his office with posters like: “Do you want to assault us again Sir!”

“I didn’t call the police. I had informed the university administration about my scheduled visit to the campus today as I want to speak to my students and colleagues,” Prof Mishra told reporters.

“I don’t know who has called the police,” he added.

While the protestors came down heavily on the administration for allowing policemen in mufti to enter the campus, the Trinamul Congress Chhatra Parishad (TMCP) has welcomed the move.

TMCP students said, “We welcome the entry of police to bring back normal academic environment on the campus.”

Prof Gupta, who was admitted to a private hospital along EM Bypass after his blood pressure shot up abnormally following the fracas on 1 March has been discharged on Sunday. Doctors have advised him for rest for few more days.