Students accused of assaulting woman staffer over TC row at West Bengal school

August 22, 2026

Kolkata: A section of students has been accused of entering the staff room of a school in West Bengal’s Malda district and assaulting a female non-teaching staff member following a dispute over the denial of a transfer certificate (TC) to a former student, police said on Saturday.

The incident took place at Jagdala High School in Bamangola on Friday and came to light on Saturday after the woman lodged a complaint against the school’s acting principal, alleging that he had instigated the students to assault her. A video purportedly showing the incident has also surfaced on social media.

Dispute over student’s transfer certificate

The woman, who joined the school as a non-teaching staff member around one-and-a-half years ago, said an argument broke out on Friday over the issuance of a TC to a former student.

According to her complaint, the student’s name had been incorrectly recorded in the school records, because of which she refused to issue the certificate.

She alleged that a group of students subsequently entered the staff room and assaulted her.

The woman also allegedly assaulted some students in return.

She accused acting principal Amit Halder of instigating and inciting the students against her. She further alleged that Halder had previously pressured her to do “immoral things” and harassed her over the issue.

“The acting principal tried to force me to do immoral things before. They have laid hands on me. They have also made the students beat me up,” she alleged.

Woman alleges harassment, school irregularities

The staff member has lodged a written complaint at Bamangola police station. She has also named two teachers, Nani Roy and Biman Pal, in her allegations.

Apart from the alleged assault, she accused the school authorities of various irregularities, including alleged corruption linked to the mid-day meal scheme.

She further alleged that Halder and others had political influence during the Trinamool Congress government, which she claimed prevented action against them.

The woman had earlier also accused Halder of molestation and making inappropriate suggestions.

She questioned how students could enter a staff room and allegedly assault school staff without having support from someone within the institution.

Acting principal denies allegations

Halder denied all the allegations made against him and described them as baseless.

He said he had worked at the school for 18 years and had served as the teacher-in-charge (TIC) for two years. According to him, the woman joined the school around one-and-a-half years ago and did not perform her duties properly.

Halder said the dispute was related to issuing a TC to a student and alleged that the woman abused him and slapped him during the argument.

He said he was unaware of what happened outside the school after the incident.

Halder also claimed that students later told him they had been beaten and that, following directions from the police and administration, he went to a hospital for a medical examination.

He further alleged that the woman and her husband assaulted him at the hospital and later left him on the road.

On the allegation of political influence, Halder said the school was an educational institution and that neither the Trinamool Congress nor the BJP had any role in its functioning.

BJP, TMC demand probe

The BJP condemned the incident and called for action following an investigation.

South Malda BJP general secretary Biswajit Roy said the police and administration should investigate the alleged assault on the female school worker. He also referred to the allegations of inappropriate suggestions made to the woman and said politics should not be allowed to interfere in the functioning of the school.

Local Trinamool Congress leader Biswajit Ghosh also called for an impartial investigation and said anyone found guilty should face strict action.

He denied any connection between the incident and the party.

The allegations made by the woman, the acting principal and the students have not been independently established. Police investigation into the complaints is expected to establish the sequence of events and responsibility for the alleged assault.