One person was arrested and seven first information reports were filed on Sunday in connection with the clashes that took place in Kolkata’s Jadavpur University a day earlier, India Today reported.

The clashes on the university campus in Kolkata took place on Saturday during a protest demanding the immediate announcement of dates for the student union elections to be conducted in the state.

The violence erupted after students, primarily from groups supported by the Left, demanded that the state Education Minister Bratya Basu, who was visiting the university, announce the dates for the elections on the spot, The New Indian Express reported.

Tensions escalated when Basu said that he could only set the election schedule after consulting senior officials.

Protesters ransacked the venue and damaged his vehicle. Several professors were allegedly assaulted and the university employees’ office was set on fire, The New Indian Express reported.

A student sustained serious injuries and was being treated in hospital after falling in front of the minister’s car.

The violence also triggered a verbal confrontation between members of student groups affiliated to the Left and those from the Trinamool Congress-backed West Bengal College and University Professors’ Association, The Times of India reported.

“We only wanted to know when student elections would be held,” The New Indian Express quoted an unidentified Students’ Federation of India leader as saying. “But TMC [Trinamool Congress] supporters attacked us.”

The Students’ Federation of India is affiliated to the Communist Party of India (Marxist).

Trinamool Congress spokesperson Kunal Ghosh criticised the violence and said that his party was not “revengeful”, The Times of India reported.

“But this can’t be tolerated,” he said. “A minister’s car was ransacked while he was inside. Any unfortunate incident could have happened.”

He added that the professors in the university and his party members had shown “extreme” patience. “But it isn’t our weakness,” Ghosh said, adding that those involved in the violence would be identified.

On Saturday evening, students had gheraoed the Jadavpur police station. Left organisations and the Trinamool Congress workers also held separate marches outside the university.

The Students’ Federation of India has called for a strike on Monday.

On his part, Basu said that he had been open to dialogue with the students.

“They could have presented their demands formally, but they chose disruption,” The New Indian Express quoted him as saying. “Some students are attempting to obstruct WBCUPA’s [West Bengal College and University Professors’ Association] campus activities. Is this campus democracy?”

Basu said that he instructed university officials not to call the police to the campus.