Sanjay Gupta in his home, which was allegedly ransacked, the evening before his HS exam. (Amit Datta)

A landlord-tenant scuffle has left a 17-year-old boy without textbooks on the eve of his HS examination.

Sanjay Gupta’s books and notes were allegedly torn, burnt and thrown into a drain on Monday night by the owners of the 6.5-cottah Garfa plot on which his family’s shanty stands. “I had to go to my friend’s house and study for tomorrow’s Hindi paper. I was able to save only my economics and accounts books. All the other books were destroyed,” said the student of MG Rungta Academy on Tuesday evening.

The Mondals, who are the Guptas’ landlords and neighbours in Mondalpara, denied the allegation.

On Monday evening, brothers Dilip, Jagannath and Badal Mondal allegedly tried to stop Sanjay’s father Radheshyam while he was ferrying coal, which he sells for a living.

A fight broke out after other members of the families rushed in. Sanjay’s mother Sita sustained “head injuries” and was admitted to Bangur Hospital. Sanjay’s brother was also injured in the scuffle. The Guptas lodged a complaint with Kasba police station.

“We have been the Mondals’ tenants for the past 30 years. Since last year they have been resorting to violence to evict us. They ransacked our home on Monday,” said Radheshyam.

Jagannath said there was a scuffle after the tenants “abused the women in the family”. “We have tried to settle things amicably and have offered them land elsewhere but they refuse to leave. We had never formally leased out the plot,” added Jagannath, whose brother Dilip was admitted to hospital with “injuries sustained in the clash”.