Visva-Bharati students on protest. (Indrajit Roy)

Santiniketan, March 1: Students of Santiniketan’s Sangeet and Kala Bhavans yesterday boycotted the Basanta Utsab after a students’ clash on the campus in the early hours.

This is perhaps the first time in recent years that a section of students has boycotted the Basanta Utsab during Dol — an important day on the varsity calendar and one that attracts tourists from across the country. Students of Sangeet Bhavan cancelled a dance drama they were to perform last evening.

Sangeet Bhavan students said that around 12.30am, when they were sitting in a lawn with Kala Bhavan students in front of the Black House hostel, a group of students from Vidya Bhavan (the college for undergraduates) hurled abuses and threw stones at the girls’ hostel nearby.

“They used abusive language against us and threw stones at the girls’ hostel. They attacked us when we protested,” said a Sangeet Bhavan student. An argument ensued and quickly turned into a scuffle.

The Sangeet Bhavan student said while the two groups fought, more students came from Vidya Bhavan around 1am. These students had hockey sticks and stones with them.

“They (Vidya Bhavan students) forced their way into the Black House boys’ hostel and ransacked the rooms. They damaged bicycles and a Kala Bhavan student, Kalyan Roy, was injured in the leg,” the Sangeet Bhavan student said.

The Sangeet Bhavan students alleged that private security guards who were posted nearby did not come to their rescue.

Vidya Bhavan students, however, said the Kala and Sangeet Bhavan students abused them first. “We only replied to their abuses.... A Vidya Bhavan student, Chinmoy Hajra, was hit on his head and had to undergo seven stitches in Burdwan Medical College and Hospital,” said a Vidya Bhavan student.

The police and varsity officials quelled the clash around 1.30am.