Around 300 students of Visva-Bharati gheraoed varsity registrar Ashish Agrawal in his office since Monday morning after bringing to a halt academic and administrative activities on campus, to demand that hostels be opened and the statement of varsity authorities calling them “goons” be retracted.

The gherao of Agrawal went on beyond 8pm on Monday. Students of unions cutting across party lines threatened to continue their movement till authorities gave a written assurance of accepting their demands. Varsity sources said the decision was delayed as vice chancellor Bidyut Chakrabarty was currently in Delhi.

“Despite our repeated appeal and movement, the authorities led by vice chancellor Bidyut Chakrabarty are reluctant to open hostels. The students are spending a lot of money to stay at rented accommodations as physical classes have started. We will continue our movement till we get a written assurance that our demands will be met,” said Subho Nath, a protester.

Nath said varsity authorities would have to apologise for using words like “goons” for students in a statement following a protest staged on February 23 that sought hostels be reopened.

The Visva-Bharti University Faculty Association (VBUFA) has supported the students on the issue.

Several officials said as the campus had remained shut for over two years because of the pandemic, they sensed that students would launch a fierce movement against the “autocratic steps” of the VC once physical classes started.

“We knew once the campus opens, authorities would have to face students’ movements. No one has forgotten how the VC had suspended several teachers and students when they dared to voice dissent,” said a professor.

On Monday, students, including many girls, went to several departments and Patha Bhavana to stop classes and lock gates as part of their movement. After bringing varsity’s activities to a standstill around 11am, students forced entry at the registrar’s office by breaching the security cordon and gheraoed Agarwal. Many students sat on the floor around the registrar’s desk.

Reportedly, there were scuffles between the students and security guards. But both sides desisted from lodging complaints.

“The security guards tore my dress and one student was injured. The VC has to take liability for the incident,” said Minakshi Bhattacharya, a leader of the varsity’s Trinamul-affiliated union.

Agrawal, on his part, accused students of “unnecessarily troubling” him and not letting him do his work. He added that he did not have the power to take any decision in these matters and was only the executing authority.