Balurghat, June 18: A group of teachers going home after exam invigilation at a South Dinajpur College was allegedly abused and threatened by unidentified bike-borne youths, hours after there was commotion over cheating at the institution.

One of the teachers said the youths "abused us for not allowing students to copy during the exam". The teacher said she and her colleagues had told the college they were now scared to continue with the invigilation duty.

A district Trinamul leader, however, brushed their fears aside, saying: "There is no need for the teachers to panic."

Over 1,500 students of Balurghat College were sitting for their Part I education exam in Jamini Majumdar Memorial College in Patiram, about 12km from here, at 11am when a three-member vigil team from Gour Banga University visited the exam centre. The university administers both the colleges.

The squad caught 11 students cheating and took away their answer scripts.

A source in the college said the invigilators had been strict from the start.

"They tried to stop students from copying. The students were angry as the teachers tried to enforce discipline. Then, the three-member squad from Gour Banga reached the college and caught 11 examinees copying. They seized their answer scripts and cancelled their exam."

While the exam was on - it got over at 1pm - parents and friends of the students were waiting outside the gates. The gates were opened after exam time.

At 1pm, when the invigilators started collecting answer sheets, one girl seemed reluctant to submit her paper. "She continued to write even after time was up. When a male invigilator tried to snatch the paper, a water bottle fell on the table. The student started screaming and alleged that the invigilator had assaulted her. Other examinees and those who were outside gheraoed the teachers," said the source.

After over an hour, policemen posted on the campus dispersed the crowd.

"After the police intervened, the girl confessed that there was no objectionable behaviour on the part of the teacher," the source said.

An hour after the exam, six-seven lady teachers returning home were accosted by a group of men on motorbikes.

"We were going to catch our buses. Eight to ten men started chasing us on motorbikes and blocked our way. They were yelling at us and using filthy language. They were so rude. They abused us for not allowing students to copy during the exam," said one of the teachers who did not want to be named.

The teachers said they could not identify the youths.

"We went back to the college and narrated the incident to the teacher-in-charge, Biswarup Saha," the teacher said.

Saha did not want to speak on the matter.

The invigilators told the teacher-in-charge they were scared and wouldn't join duty tomorrow if adequate police protection was not given. The college made arrangements for the teachers to go home with police protection.

No police complaint was filed in connection with the incident till this evening.

When asked about the ruckus, Prabir Roy, the president of the college governing body, said: "There was tension in the college because of the strict invigilation. Members of the governing body met and reviewed the situation. We decided to approach the administration for police presence during tomorrow's exam. There is no need for teachers to panic."

Roy is also the Balurghat panchayat samiti chief and the South Dinajpur district general secretary of Trinamul.

Utpal Chatterjee, who is in charge of Patiram that falls under Balurghat police station, said: "There was commotion at the college after some students were caught copying. We reached the campus and brought the situation under control."