Two students of Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology (CUET) were allegedly assaulted by a contractor on the campus yesterday for taking pictures of felled trees.

Shovon Lal Sarkar, a third-year student of architecture, and Sammaul Islam, a second-year student of electronic and telecommunication engineering, submitted a complaint to the university authority against Nayeem Khan, proprietor of NK Traders, a firm involved in the construction of the university laboratory building, reports our staff correspondent in Chattogram.

"The contractor and his associates started hurling abuse at me when they saw me taking pictures of the felled trees. They got angry after Sammaul arrived at the scene to help me. At one stage, they pushed us," said Shovon.

Contacted, contractor Nayeem Khan declined to comment.

The trees were cut to make room for the laboratory building.

Campus sources, however, confirmed that the contractor admitted to assaulting the students and regretted the incident.

Rezaul Karim, director of the Directorate of Students' Welfare of CUET, said they received a complaint in this regard.

"Action will be taken after an investigation if the allegation is found to be true," he added.