Calcutta, Aug. 8: Two ABP Ananda journalists were assaulted by suspected Trinamul student union members when they went to cover a clash between two factions at a Garden Reach college this afternoon.

The same institute, Harimohan Ghose College, was in the news in 2013 after a police officer had been shot dead just outside the gates during a fight between ruling party and Congress unions.

Today, photographer Sandip Sandhukhan was hospitalised with what doctors said was a serious eye injury. Reporter Hindol Dey was also beaten up.

The journalists were assaulted when warring students at the college told them to leave but they refused.

"As we entered the college, Trinamul supporters warned us against taking pictures. But we did not get deterred by the threat. Then, around 40 TMCP (Trinamul Chhatra Parishad) supporters attacked us. They dragged my cameraman, Sandip, inside the college. They rained blows on me. I somehow managed to flee and reach the car and left the college. They detained my cameraman for quite sometime. Later, they released Sandip," Dey said.

The clash broke out when one group of TMCP supporters allegedly tried to set up an independent union board.

Around noon, Istiaque Alam Ansari, who was recently ousted from the union general secretary's post, and his supporters assembled at the union room to set up the new board. The rival camp led by Aftab Ansari, the new general secretary, confronted them, resulting in a heated exchange that snowballed into a clash.

A case of assault has been registered at Garden Reach police station. "The incident took place when the journalists reached the college. They were filming the clash between two groups of TMCP supporters. The members of one group attacked the journalists," a police officer said.

No arrests had been made till late tonight.

Bijoy Acharya, the teacher-in-charge of Harimohan Ghose College, said there had been tension on the campus since the past few days but added the situation was "under control".

In the union elections in January, the TMCP had won all 28 seats uncontested.

Istiaque was re-elected to the post. But Aftab's supporters made him the general secretary when Istiaque went on a holiday last month. When Istiaque returned, he demanded Aftab be removed from the post. Istiaque and his supporters today tried to set up an independent board so that he could continue to head the union.

An officer of Garden Reach police station said Aftab and several others of his group were followers of local Trinamul leader Ranjit Sil. Sil's son had died of injuries he suffered while allegedly making bombs a night before the 2013 violence that claimed the life of sub-inspector Tapas Chowdhury in 2013.

According to the Calcutta University statute, the general secretary of the students' union is elected on the basis of the number of elected class representatives supporting him. Sixteen of the 28 class representatives of the college are Istiaque's supporters.