Police Summon Agitating Teachers Over May 15 Clashes At Bikash Bhavan

Police have issued summons to several teachers involved in the ongoing protests outside Bikash Bhavan, the headquarters of the West Bengal Education Department in Salt Lake, in connection with the violent clashes that erupted there on May 15. These teachers had lost their jobs following a recent Supreme Court verdict and have been demonstrating outside the building since Thursday.

According to an official, the Bidhannagar Police Commissionerate issued the summons on May 16. The notice accuses the summoned teachers of damaging government property, obstructing public servants from discharging their lawful duties, and issuing threats to government officials. The teachers have been directed to appear before the investigating officer at Bidhannagar North Police Station at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, May 21.

An FIR has been registered at Bidhannagar North Police Station naming specific teachers identified in video footage of the May 15 clashes. The charges in the FIR fall under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which pertain to disobedience to lawful orders, criminal and house trespass, rioting, and wrongful restraint.

The police summons stated: "...during the course of the investigation, it is revealed that you damaged government property and obstructed the public servant from his lawful duty and threatened the public servant from doing their duty, and there are also reasonable grounds to question you to ascertain facts and circumstances from you in relation to the present investigation. Hence, you are directed to appear before me at 11 am on May 21 at the Bidhannagar North Police Station."

The West Bengal Police confirmed on Friday that 19 personnel were injured during the May 15 clashes, including one officer who sustained serious injuries. A suo motu case has also been filed against individuals alleged to have instigated the unrest.

Responding to the summons, one protesting teacher accused the authorities of using intimidation tactics to suppress the movement. "They are trying to scare us into ending the protest. But we are not afraid. We will continue demanding justice. The government made promises to us and then filed a review petition in the Supreme Court behind our backs," the teacher said.

Another protester countered the police's claim, stating, "It wasn't the police who were injured. One of my colleagues lost an eye due to the police's lathi charge, and several others were seriously hurt. Can they tell us how many police were actually injured?"

Clashes had erupted on May 15 when protesting teachers attempted to storm Bikash Bhavan after breaching police barricades. The confrontation resulted in violent scuffles between the two sides.

Despite the crackdown, the teachers continued their protest for the fourth straight day on Sunday outside the Education Department headquarters. Their primary demand is that the West Bengal government take immediate legal and administrative action to reinstate them in their jobs.