BHUBANESWAR: Tension prevailed at Rama Devi Women’s University on Tuesday as students reportedly locked the main gates of the campus in protest against entry of outsiders into the university and the use of banners.
Sources said posters of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad and Biju Chhatra Janata Dal were posted outside the campus to welcome new students, after which there was confrontation among two students groups. However, the situation escalated after one of the groups alleged entry of non-students inside the campus, leading to concerns about the safety of the women’s university.
The agitating student group reportedly locked the main gates of the campus and raised slogans demanding a complete ban on the entry of outsiders. The protest forced students to remain stranded both inside and outside the university for sometime.
Sahid Nagar police reached the spot and defused tension. A meeting was also convened by Vice-Chancellor Jyotsna KB Rout with senior officials and student groups to address grievances of both the groups and prevent any such escalation in the future.
Rout told mediapersons that normalcy was restored on the campus immediately after discussion were held with the two groups, while the student leaders were also asked to remove the banners from near the gate. She admitted that around 12 youths entered the campus leading to disturbances.