At least 32 students from the College of Medicine and JNM Hospital in Kalyani, Nadia, have lodged a written complaint with the principal against over a dozen Trinamool Congress-backed student union leaders and class representatives, accusing them of intimidation and malpractice.

In a joint petition submitted via email, the students have appealed to the college principal for help in dismantling this "culture of threats" and have requested the formation of a general students’ body through fair elections.

College principal Manidip Pal has referred the matter to the institution’s anti-ragging committee. The committee has summoned 13 of the accused and all the complainants for a hearing on Thursday on campus.

“The allegations are disturbing, and the nature of the complaints is akin to ragging. Thus, the issue has been forwarded to the anti-ragging committee,” Pal, also a committee member, said.

This incident has brought back concerns about the "threat culture" that came to light following the rape and murder of a junior doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9. Junior doctors at RG Kar have repeatedly demanded safer campuses and workplaces for medical students and doctors. One of their key demands, raised during their recent protests and a meeting with chief minister Mamata Banerjee, is the elimination of this pervasive intimidation.

"It’s the same at our college," said one of the petitioners from the College of Medicine and JNM Hospital. "Ruling party-backed senior students and class representatives have made life unbearable."

Here, the students' petition specifically names students and leaders from the Trinamool Congress Chhatra Parishad.

Names include Abdul Alim Biswas, Sheikh Mohammad Akhil, Bichitra Kanti Bala, and at least 10 classrepresentatives, accusing them of perpetrating a reign of terror, threatening students with academic failure if they do not bend.

“It’s become impossible to study here due to the constant intimidation by Trinamool Chhatra Parishad leaders. They try tocontrol everything,from where we sit to what we eat,” said another student.

The petition also claims that students were forced to write letters to Swasthya Bhawan in support of former RG Kar MedicalCollege principal and now arrested Sandip Ghosh, controversial Trinamool Chhatra Parishad leaders Avik De, Birupakshya Biswasand other members ofwhat they describe as a “syndicate.”

“It was against our will but they forced us to write to support them”, a traineedoctor said.

A significant portion of the intimidation, according to the students, revolves around examinations. Theseating arrangements during exams, they allege, arecontrolled by handpicked class representativeswho reserve the best seats for themselves and their allies.

The petition further accuses the union leaders of flouting college rules, including barring first-year students from entering thecentral library.

“We were not allowed to enter and issue books from the central library premises in the first year whichseverely hampered our education,” complainants wrote in the signed email.

Students also alleged they were forced to eat at specific canteens despite the poor food quality of food, and that someunion leaders had installed air-conditioning intheir rooms with administrative support, whileother students who are not their associates are deniedpermission to use basic electronic gadgets.

Repeated calls for comment to senior Trinamool Chhatra Parishad leader Abdul Alim Biswas andother accused individuals went unanswered.

Principal Manidip Pal said: “The complaints will be heard following the anti-ragging committee’sprotocol, and appropriate actions will be taken based on its recommendations.”