LUCKNOW: Banaras Hindu University (BHU) was on the boil once again on Friday night when two students’ groups clashed over a musical event leading to vandalism and arson on campus.
The incident happened when the event named ‘Mystique’, organised by the students of Indian Institute of Technology (Banaras Hindu University) in Varanasi, faced opposition from Samajwadi Yuvjan Sabha (SYS) members.
On Friday night, when the IIT (BHU) students were preparing for the event in the Rajputana ground on the campus, a group of students led by SYS leader Ashutosh Singh, reached the gate of the venue to confront the organisers.
The SYS leaders who had been protesting against the event from before alleged that such events drew a lot of anti-social elements who throng the campus and create trouble.
The confrontation turned into a verbal duel which then turned violent. The students vandalised BHU property and even the vehicle of chief proctor Royona Singh, who had gone to intervene, was attacked and damaged.
The campus administration on late Friday night called the police who quelled the disturbance. The musical night, over which the students sparred, was cancelled.
Professor Rajiv Sangal, director, IIT (BHU) condemned the students’ protest saying the SYS members unnecessarily raised doubts over the cultural programme. "In the garb of protest, anti-social elements misbehaved with the organisers of the event,” he maintained.
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