Jadavpur University student Soumyadeep Mahanta, already in police custody for his alleged role in vandalism at the varsity, was arrested again on Tuesday by Kolkata Police for his involvement in putting up “Azad Kashmir” graffiti on the university wall. Mahanta was granted bail in the vandalism case but was immediately “shown arrest” in connection with the graffiti incident. He will remain in custody as the investigation continues.

The police also arrested Souptik Chanda, a second-year civil engineering student, marking the second arrest after Mahanta in the March 1 arson case, when the TMC-affiliated non-teaching staff union office at JU was set ablaze. Chanda was among 14 students summoned for questioning, leading to strong protests by JU students outside the Jadavpur Police Station on Tuesday.

Protests erupted as students accused authorities of falsely implicating them and curbing their right to protest.

The violence on March 1 occurred during the TMC professors’ union AGM, attended by West Bengal Education Minister Bratya Basu. Two students were injured after a vehicle in Basu’s convoy allegedly grazed them, escalating tensions. Police have registered FIRs against Basu, the driver, and Professor Om Prakash Mishra over the incident.

Additionally, a former JU student, now working in an IT firm, was arrested on March 2 for allegedly participating in the protest and vandalism.

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