Kolkata Police on Tuesday made the third arrest in connection with the violence at Jadavpur University on March 1, including the arson at the office of Shikshabandhu, a Trinamool Congress-backed workers' association.

The accused, Souptik Chandra, a civil engineering student at JU, was summoned to Jadavpur police station on Tuesday afternoon. Following questioning, he was taken into custody, according to reports.

On March 13, police arrested Soumyadeep Mahato, alias Ujaan, a first-year philosophy student at JU, after questioning him at the Jadavpur police station.

Mahato is alleged to have been directly involved in setting fire to the Shikshabandhu office on the night of March 1. His arrest triggered student outrage, with protests outside the Jadavpur police station.

How the March 1 violence unfolded

Tensions erupted on March 1 during the annual conference of Webcupa, an association of Trinamool-affiliated faculty members.

Protests broke out as Left and ultra-left student groups demonstrated against state education minister Bratya Basu, chanting ‘Go back’ slogans.

Protesters were accused of vandalising the minister’s vehicle, while students alleged that Indranuj Roy, a protester, was injured after being hit by the minister’s car.

Later that night, the Shikshabandhu office on campus was set on fire.

First arrest

The first arrest in the case came on March 2, when police picked up a former JU student from his rented accommodation in South Kolkata.

Originally from Birbhum, the ex-student, now working at an IT firm in Salt Lake, was accused of participating in the protest, arson, and vandalism.

With three arrests so far, the investigation is ongoing.