Students protest outside the Siliguri Institute of Technology. Picture by Avijit Sarkar

Salbari, Feb. 27: Classes remained suspended for the second consecutive day at Siliguri Institute of Technology (SIT) even as the college authorities ordered an inquiry into the alleged slapping of a student by the vice-principal of the private college.

Disgruntled first and second year students today plastered campus walls with posters that demanded an “unconditional apology” from the institute’s vice-principal Ashish Ranjan Nath.

The college authorities, on their part, have ordered an inquiry to resolve the crisis.

“The question of apology does not arise now. We will decide whether the vice-principal should apologise, only after the inquiry report is submitted. This is a major incident. We need to find out the names of the culprits,” principal Haripada Bhaumik said.

“The classes for third and fourth year students will begin from Monday. The first and second students, however, will join classes only after the inquiry is completed,” added the principal.

Trouble erupted yesterday after first and second year students boycotted the internal examinations to protest against lack of infrastructure at the college.

The matter took an ugly turn after the vice-principal allegedly slapped a first year student during an argument.

The students, in turn, pelted stones, broke window panes and gheraoed the college staff.

The 4-year-old SIT —the only private engineering college in Darjeeling subdivision — is run by the Calcutta-based Techno India group.