It has been noticed that Naba Ballygunge College in Kasba was the worst affected

Large-scale violence erupted on the streets of Kolkata on Friday in the run-up to the student body elections in various colleges across the city.

Clashes between rival student groups, hurling of crude bombs, ransacking of public vehicles and road blockades brought different parts of the city, particularly Shyambazar area which houses many colleges, to a grinding halt.

Among the colleges that bore the burnt of the violence was Naba Ballygunge College in Kasba in South Kolkata where troubled began in the afternoon when supporters of SFI and Trinamool Congress Chhatra Parishad (TMCP) gathered in front of the college to prevent their rivals from getting inside the campus.

The situation worsened after the clashing groups hurled bombs at each other. Many vehicles parked in the vicinity of the college were ransacked. A large contingent of police had to rush in to bring the situation under control.

The situation remained tense in the evening and there were reports that students belonging to the TMCP had gheraoed the college principal. TMCP leader Mintu Ray alleged that the principal had not allowed the students to file nomination papers without their fees book, which they had recently deposited to the college authorities for getting passes for social programme.

The principal of the college, Sukamal Dutta, however, said that most of those involved in the violence were not college students.

Local Trinamool MLA Javed Khan was also sighted near the college in the evening. The SFI, on the other hand, alleged that TMCP supporters did not allow the students to enter the college so that their candidature could be rejected.