Aliah University vice-chancellor Mahammad Ali turned up on the campus on Monday, 10 days after he was abused allegedly by Trinamul Congress student leaders and a day before the completion of his four-year tenure as VC.

Ali had on Sunday night requested the secretary of the minority affairs and madrasah education department that his tenure be not extended beyond April 12, sources on the campus said.

Ali, who is still a professor at the chemistry department of Jadavpur University, did not sit on the chair designated for the VC, said an official at Aliah University. He reportedly remained seated on a sofa in the VC’s office through the day.

“I am an academic person and I pursue research passionately. I belong to a place where I can pursue research. I will feel better there. That place is Jadavpur University. I have already taken preparations for submitting two projects.

April 18 is the last date for submission of one of the projects. That is my prime focus,” said Ali.

What will he do if the government does extend his tenure as VC?

I don’t want to comment on this…. I want to go back to JU and focus on research…. I want to start fresh innings,” he told Metro.

Ali was abused and assaulted by a section of students inside his office on April 1 over allegations of anomalies in the selection of candidates for the university’s PhD programme.

A video showing a youth whom the VC identified as Giyasuddin Mondal, a former president of the Aliah University unit of the Trinamul Congress Chhatra Parishad (TMCP), gesticulating at and verbally abusing Ali has widely circulated on social media.

He said he had sent a report to the minority affairs and madrasah education department about the April 1 incident. The department had on Tuesday sought the report.

A JU official said Ali was expected to resume teaching there on Wednesday. “He has already intimated JU VC Suranjan Das and his colleagues in the department.”