Protests rocked North Bengal Medical College and Hospital here on Wednesday after an intern was showcaused for screening a cricket match in one of the lecture theatres of the NBMCH.

The India-New Zealand final match of the Champions Trophy was screened on March 9 at Lecture Theatre 400 (LT-400) of the NBMCH.

“The dean of students’ affairs showcaused Sunny Manna, a 2019 batch intern, who is currently posted in the department of medicine,” said a source.

Manna said he had been asked to reply as to who had granted him permission to open the lecture theatre for the screening of the match.

Students and interns gathered in front of the office of Anupam Nath Gupta, the dean of students’ affairs, and confined her. The agitators raised slogans, saying it was unfair to single out Manna and showcase him.

The demonstrators claimed that they had applied with Gupta’s office on March 7 for official permission to screen the cricket match. However, they did not receive any reply.

“Subsequently, we approached the college principal who verbally permitted the screening and directed a faculty member to make the necessary arrangements,” said one of the protesters.

Gupta, on the other hand, asked: “How can the students open an academic area for a non-academic activity?”

In the evening, the situation turned volatile as another group of around 50 students reached there and said they would escort the dean out of the chamber.

“The protesters are exaggerating the issue. We oppose such acts as it affected regular activities at the NBMCH,” said one of the students of the second group.

Their attempt led to an altercation and there was a skirmish between the two groups. To control the situation, a team from the police outpost of the NBMCH reached
the spot.

The second group managed to get the dean out of the chamber. Gupta got into the car but the protesters blocked it. Additional forces also went to the spot. They dispersed the agitators and the dean’s car left around 8pm.