Santiniketan student protest for Sonam Wangchuk turns violent

Around 40 students at Visva Bharati University in Santiniketan began a 24‑hour hunger strike on Saturday to show solidarity with Sonam Wangchuk, who is on a hunger strike in Delhi over the NEET‑UG paper leak scandal. The sit‑in started at 10 a.m. near the university’s central library and remained peaceful until about 12:30 p.m., when roughly 30 individuals identified by the demonstrators as members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) confronted them.

The protesters said the ABVP members shouted accusations such as “anti‑national” and “China‑funded elements”, tore down banners and physically assaulted several participants, including slapping a female protester. Calls for police assistance were made, but officers reportedly arrived without intervening. The clash subsided when crowds gathered, prompting the attackers to disperse. Despite the violence, the students said they would continue their hunger strike.

The incident highlights tensions between student activists and the ABVP, the student wing of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, amid broader concerns over the NEET‑UG examination leak.