BHUBANESWAR: The BJB Autonomous College here was closed sine die after students ransacked the college building protesting lathicharge by police and arrest of 10 students on Monday.
The police action came after inmates of one of the college hostels blocked Bhubaneswar- Puri Highway for over one hour. The students were demanding action against miscreants, who allegedly assaulted them on Sunday night. While Lewis Road was under siege disrupting traffic movement for over an hour, lathicharge was ordered by senior police officials to disperse the agitating students.
As the lathi-wielding cops drove the students away, the students turned their ire towards the college building. The students pelted stones at the main building damaging glass panes, stationery items and a garage shed, sources said. The students, who were appearing for the semester examinations, had to face a lot of difficulty owing to the chaos outside. The police force entered the campus and brought the situation under control.
Principal Prof Mohammed Nawaz Hasan directed the hostel boarders to vacate the college premises. The notice stated that the semester examination between December 26 and 30 will be rescheduled.
The protesting students alleged that though a complaint was lodged against the outsiders, police and college authorities have failed to take action.
Later, the students took out a peace rally and demanded that their batchmates be released from police custody.
Sources said the incident was an outcome of a group clash, which took place in October last week, between some students of Ambedkar Hostel and a miscreant of Badagada area. The miscreants nursed a grudge against the students and attacked them again on Sunday.
“The miscreant, who assaulted the students, has been arrested. Around five who were directly responsible for causing damage to college property will be arrested and others will be released,” DCP Satyabrata Bhoi said.
Two platoons of police force have been deployed on the college premises as the situation continued to remain tense.