The blockade put up by students at Shivmandir. Picture by Diptendu Dutta

Siliguri, May 18: A day after would-be doctors crippled National Highway 31 at Shivmandir protesting against the proposed reservations in higher educational institutions, a group of school students today blocked traffic movement on the arterial road, causing harassment to commuters.

A section of the students of Narasingha Vidyapith, led by some SUCI leaders, put up a blockade for two-and-half-a- hours, about 8 km from here. They were protesting against the annual ?donation? fee of Rs 40 that the school charges in addition to the tuition fee of Rs 90 paid at the start of the academic session.

It was only after headmaster Amar Kumar Sarkar assured that the collection of fees would be put on hold till a meeting was convened that the agitation was lifted.

But it was not before the protesting students had clashed with another group, allegedly backed by the SFI, who blamed the demonstrators for ?hijacking? their issue. A force from Matigara police station prevented the incident from flaring up. The day?s drama was rendered complete when the All Bengal Teachers? Association protested against the students being ?misled? by a teacher.

?I have heard that one of the teachers, Soumen Paul, who is an SUCI supporter, is responsible for instigating students,? Sarkar alleged. ?We had show-caused him recently for reckless allotment of marks in the mathematics paper. Now I hear that he is misleading students. We will take action against him.?

Claiming that the school was charging the lowest fees compared to others in the area, Sarkar said: ?Government aid only meets the teachers? salaries. We have to manage the rest with our own funds, which we have to raise from the students.?

But the students had more to say. ?There are no toilets for boys and the drinking water is not fit for consumption,? one of them said.