Journalist’s car vandalised by students during yesterday’s untoward incident at NIT, 3 FIRs lodged since yesterday

Moksudul Choudhury, a journalist associated with Dainik Jugasankha and News Daily 24, filed an FIR at Silchar Sadar Police Station today against NIT students regarding the vandalism of his car. During the tense situation which unfolded at NIT Silchar yesterday night, the car of Moksudul was gravely vandalised by students at the campus who went on a rampage against the alleged malpractices carried out by NIT authorities.

While the anger of students was mainly directed at some academics of the institution, the Police, Press and District Administration also became victims of subsequent mob violence as they were trapped in the crossfire. Choudhury, in his FIR, mentioned that he alongwith other media persons, had gone to NIT to cover the tense situation out of professional obligation and faced the wrath of students. Cachar Deputy Commissioner Rohan Kumar Jha confirmed that multiple vehicles, including Choudhury’s, had fallen victim to the wave of violence that swept through the campus because of unruly students yesterday.

A delegation comprising members of the Silchar Press Club and Assam Bartajibi Sangha aided Choudhury in filing the FIR, demanding the immediate arrest of those responsible for the incident and expressed dismay at the state of affairs in a top-tier institution like NIT.

Tensions escalated at the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Silchar yesterday as a tragic incident unfolded, leading to violent protests and vandalisation. The unrest was sparked by the suicide of a 3rd-year Electrical Engineering student in Hostel 7 at 5 pm, which the students allegedly attributed to academic grievances. They blamed Academic Dean Dr. BK Roy for the student’s death.

On condition of anonymity, a student informed that the deceased boy was prohibited from registration into further semesters as he had backlogs. As he went to the administrative building for requesting professors to allow him appear for the examination, they tore his application which triggered him to commit suicide.

In response to the incident, the students initiated a mass protest at the campus which took a violent turn when some of them targeted Dr. BK Roy’s residence, damaging his vehicles and attempting to set his house ablaze with an LPG cylinder as per Police sources.

Cachar Deputy Commissioner Rohan Kumar Jha and Superintendent of Police Numal Mahatta, arrived at the spot to engage in dialogue with the students. Despite efforts to calm the situation, the students remained defiant, intensifying the crisis. Law enforcement authorities demonstrated remarkable restraint, even distributing water to the protesting students in a show of goodwill. However, the situation deteriorated at around 11:30 pm when a student hurled a water bottle at the Superintendent of Police, prompting the administration to resort to a lathi charge to restore order. It was during this time when journalist Moksudul Choudhury’s car was gravely vandalised by the agitating students.

As of the time of writing this report, tension still prevails at NIT Silchar, with police patrolling the campus to prevent further untoward incidents. 3 FIRs have been filed since yesterday’s incident till now. The parents of the deceased student, hailing from Arunachal Pradesh, arrived in Silchar today morning. They met with NIT administration and Cachar District Administration officials before proceeding to Silchar Medical College and Hospital for receiving their son’s dead body after the post-mortem examination and departed for Arunachal Pradesh again with heavy hearts.