Raiganj. Aug. 10: The SFI has called a student strike in North Dinajpur on Monday to protest the assault on its supporters and leaders allegedly by the Trinamul Congress outside Surendranath College here on Saturday as well as against police inaction.

Sources said admissions to first-year under-graduate courses had been going on in the college for the past few days. Trouble began yesterday when Pranesh Sarkar, the district secretary of the SFI, who is also a part-time vocational training teacher at the college, was allegedly prevented from entering the campus by Trinamul supporters.

According to Bittu Sarkar, the assistant secretary of the district SFI, Trinamul had brought in “outsiders” to the college gates to create trouble. “Trinamul supporters attacked the district secretary in the presence of police. Pranesh teaches at the college and has the right to enter the premises. The police were mere spectators. We are calling a student strike throughout the district on Monday to protest the attack and police inaction,” said Sarkar.

The Trinamul Chhatra Parishad district president, Ajoy Sarkar, said his outfit was not involved in the violence. “There was infighting within the SFI which controls the student union in the college. SFI supporters were forcing students seeking admission to join the CPM’s students’ wing.”