Presidency College students and Hindu Hostel boarders gheraoed the college principal and the hostel superintendent on Friday afternoon, demanding an explanation for the denial of a hostel seat to a Muslim student of Maulana Azad College.

Jakir Hussain, the first-year sociology honours student, applied for a seat in Hindu Hostel on July 7.

He was not allotted one, despite his hometown Siliguri being 600 km from the city.

“The hostel superintendent told me that I was not given a seat because I was a Muslim student from Maulana Azad College. Apparently, Hindu Hostel does not admit Muslim students from any college other than Presidency,” said Jakir, who has been staying at the hostel as a guest.

“Hindu Hostel takes boarders from Presidency, Maulana Azad, Goenka and Sanskrit colleges. But Muslim students are taken only from Presidency. Muslim students from the other three colleges are accommodated in Baker Hostel and Carmichael Hostel,” said Hindu Hostel superintendent Tarun Bera.

He added: “The application form should not have been given to Jakir. It was an oversight by the temporary staff.”

After more than two weeks of pressure from the students, Bera agreed on Friday to give Jakir a seat in the hostel on Monday. The hostel committee, which comprises the principals of the four colleges, will also review the rule.