Barasat University’s hostel has remained closed for nearly a month after clashes on the campus, leaving around 40 resident students without access to their accommodation and uncertain about when it will reopen. On Tuesday, students entered the hostel in the presence of police to collect their belongings and essential documents.
The hostel was shut after violence was reported on the West Bengal State University campus during Rakhi Bandhan celebrations in August. Students affiliated with the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad and Trinamool Chhatra Parishad were involved in the clash, according to the report. Allegations of vandalism at the boys’ hostel also emerged after the incident.
Following the unrest, the vice-chancellor directed resident students to leave the hostel. The building has remained locked since then. The latest access was limited to collecting personal items and documents, rather than resuming residential operations.
The closure has had a direct effect on students who live far from the university. Some are travelling long distances from their homes, while others are paying additional amounts to stay in rented mess accommodation. Several of the residents are from districts outside the immediate area, making daily travel more difficult and increasing the financial burden created by the closure.
One resident told Sangbad Pratidin that the hostel had been particularly important for students living far away. The student said residents were now either travelling from home or staying in messes, and that although they had collected their belongings, there was still no clear information about when the hostel would reopen.
Students were allowed to enter the hostel and remove their belongings in the presence of police from Duttapukur police station. The police presence indicates that the access was coordinated as part of the post-conflict arrangements, although the report does not provide details of any separate investigation or disciplinary action arising from the August clash.
Vice-chancellor Debabrata Mitra said the collection of belongings did not mean the hostel was being permanently closed. According to Mitra, some students had applied to collect documents and essential items, and the university coordinated with the police to permit their entry. He said the hostel would reopen after repair work was completed.
The university has not announced a specific reopening date in the report. Until the repairs are finished and residential access is restored, students will continue to face uncertainty over accommodation, commuting arrangements and additional living costs. The next formal milestone is the completion of the repair work cited by the university as the condition for reopening the hostel.
