Varsity's losses to be compensated from miscreants: Visva Bharati University on vandalism

Visva Bharati University on Monday stated that the miscreants responsible in connection with the incident of vandalism at the University, in Bolpur in Bengal's Birbhum district, should be booked immediately and compensation of losses should be recovered from them.

Eight people have been arrested in connection with the incident of vandalism at the University, Superintendent of Police (SP) Birbhum, Shyam Singh said on Monday.

"Those who were engaged in the vandalism in the campus, need to be booked immediately and stern action to be taken against them so that such occurrences do not take place in future," Assistant Registrar, In-charge of Public Relations, Visva Bharati stated in a release.

"The University's loss to be compensated from the miscreants immediately on the basis of the calculations made by an agency deployed by the MHRD or any other agency that the MHRD deems appropriate," the release further read.

Authorities of the Viva-Bharati University in a statement today said that the institution is shutting down indefinitely.

"Despite an application to the SDO for imposing of Section 144 CrPC in the specified area around the Mela Ground, no action has been taken. If Section 144 CrPC was imposed, vandalism may have been avoided," Assistant Registrar, In-charge of Public Relations, Visva Bharati stated.

Commenting upon the ruckus created by local people at the campus of Visva Bharati, , West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said, "Visva Bharati is a central university. Governor had tweeted and called me regarding the problem. I myself do not want any construction there which will spoil the nature's beauty. I request Vice-Chancellor to consult DM (District Magistrate) and SP (Superintendent of Police). There should not be such things in Bengal, which will destroy the culture and heritage of Bengal."

Earlier in the day, there was a ruckus by local people at the campus of the university over the construction of a boundary wall near the Mela ground. The Mela ground belongs to the University. Protestors had allegedly damaged some structures.

( With inputs from ANI )