BHUBANESWAR: A scuffle that broke out between members of student outfits and that of Jai Bhim at Utkal University on Tuesday left at least nine injured.
While eight, including students and Jai Bhim workers, sustained minor injuries, one student was seriously hurt and admitted to Capital hospital.
Tension erupted when some members of ABVP and NSUI, students of Utkal university protested hosting of an event by Jai Bhim organisation at the institution’s convention centre.
The event was being attended by Bhim Army chief Chandra Sekhar Azad and hundreds of supporters of Jai Bhim. The convention centre is usually reserved for university or government programmes.
Police had to intervene to prevent the situation from flaring up. Four platoons of police and two ACPs were deployed on the university campus to maintain law and order.
Members of both Jai Bhim and ABVP also met DCP Pinak Mishra seeking his intervention into the incident. “The Bhim Army with permission of the university authorities was organising an event at the convention centre and we had made police deployment for this too. But some university students protested the event which led to tension.
After the event too, there was scuffle. However, the situation was immediately brought under control,” said the DCP. Subsequently, ABVP members met the university V-C and registrar to inquire on how outsiders are allowed to host events in the university facility. The university authorities could not be reached for their comments.