PATNA: Even as the date for students’ union polls at Patna University (PU) was announced on Wednesday, the varsity authorities were shocked when police recovered a large quantity of materials used for making bombs on a hostel campus.
The materials, including explosives, were found on the premises of Iqbal Hostel hours after PU vice-chancellor Rash Bihari Prasad Singh announced that students’ union elections would be held on February 17. Police conducted a search of the hostel after getting a tip-off about explosive material stored there, and sniffer dogs led to the spot where they were kept in wooden and metal boxes.
“The materials recovered are those used in assembling bombs. A probe is currently on,” said ADG (headquarters) SK Singhal. Police began questioning some students and the staff after the recovery, but nobody was arrested.
Students’ union polls are being held at PU, Bihar’s oldest and the country’s seventh oldest varsity, after a gap of five years. The last polls, in 2012, were held after a gap of nearly three decades. The current crop f top leaders in Bihar, including Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and his arch rival Lalu Prasad Yadav, had cut their teeth in student union politics at PU in the early 1970s. PU celebrated its centenary on October 14 last year with PM Narendra Modi attending a ceremony as the chief guest.
Bihar Governor Satya Pal Malik, who is the Chancellor of the state’s universities, had said in November last that the polls would be held by January 15. As the deadline elapsed, the students’ organisations were restive and demanded immediate announcement of the poll dates.
The VC said filing of nominations would start on February 8 and polling would be held 8 AM and 2 PM on February 17. Counting of votes and announcement of the results would take place the same day. Students’ bodies greeted the declaration of the poll schedules with bouts of music and dance on the campus.