BHUBANESWAR: Prohibitory orders under Section 144 of CrPC were imposed outside Utkal University by the Commissionerate Police on Sunday after a group of students staged protests over hurling of three low-intensity bombs near Vice Chancellor’s office and ladies’ hostel.
Even as no one was injured in the incident, tension ran high on the campus of the university. The students alleged that some of fellow students and non-students affiliated to a political party had been creating disturbance after filing of nomination papers ended on Saturday for the students’ union elections to be held on September 23.
“They have been targeting us after observing growing support for our presidential candidate. They are trying to demoralise us by terrorising our supporters,” a student from the other group alleged.
On Saturday night, three students were injured in separate clashes between two warring groups. The clash erupted after one of the students was attacked by some youths near the university. Some other students were later attacked in their hostels by another group. A complaint has been lodged with Saheed Nagar police in this connection.
The students assembled outside the university and protested over the attack on their friends before they were dispersed following the prohibitory orders. Six platoons of police force were deployed in the university as the situation remained tense throughout the day.
Earlier, a second year PG student had also lodged a complaint with Saheed Nagar police alleging that a non-student manhandled and molested her outside the hostel.
As the electioneering has reached feverish pitch, it has been creating a lot of inconvenience for the people residing around the university campus. They claimed that at least four bikers were injured after huge hoardings put up by the students on the road fell on them.
However, the Commissionerate Police has not arrested anyone involved in the crime so far. A few days back, low intensity bombs were also hurled in front of the ladies’ hostel of BJB College after which the institution was closed sine die. No arrest has been made in this connection also.