With reports of cheating during Mathematics examination of the Madhyamik Board pouring in from some districts, West Bengal Education Minister Bratya Basu today said 'several arrests' had been made in this connection, though it was 'an old disease'.
Basu told reporters that stray incidents of cheating had been reported from some areas and police made 'many arrests'.
''This is an old disease'', the minister said and asserted that the offenders would be sternly dealt with.
Outsiders had loudly communicated answers of problems in the Mathematics paper outside the madhyamik (secondary) examination halls in some centres of Howrah and Bongaon even as there were police postings nearby, according to some witnesses.
They said that copied answers were also supplied to the examination halls in form of paper balls.
Recently at Raigunj in Uttar Dinajpur district, five policemen and as many persons were injured in a clash which ensued as the cops tried to stop them from helping the examinees in cheating during the ongoing board examination.
A group of people had gathered outside Chiklibari High School in Goalpokhar and were passing on chits to students who were appearing for the Madhyamik (Class X) board exams.
On getting information, a police team led by Islampur area Sub-Divisional Police Officer S N Gupta rushed to the spot and tried to disperse those helping the examinees.
Angry at the police action, the group turned on the team with stones leaving Gupta and four other cops injured. Soon after this, the police lathicharged to disperse the crowd and arrested three of those involved in facilitating the cheating.
Five persons were also injured, police said.
