BHADRAK: Amid the ongoing dispute over installation of banners for Ganesh Puja celebrations, the agitating students of Bhadrak Autonomous College barred principal Durga Sankar Das, police and a magistrate from entering the campus on Tuesday.
The controversy erupted on Monday after a group of students put up a banner with the words ‘Killer Group’ at the college gate. The provocative words drew widespread objection from other students, triggering protests. The banner was later removed by college authorities.
However, tension flared up again when another group of students put up a second banner with the name ‘Bhadrak Autonomous College’. The saffron background of the new banner became a fresh point of contention among rival student groups. Principal Das said, “After the first banner was removed, another was put up. I inspected it late in the night on Monday and found no objectionable content on it. So I allowed it to remain.”
He further said some students had informed him of their intention to install another banner at the same location. “I advised them to place it elsewhere since one was already there. But they refused to listen and remained on the campus throughout the night,” he added.
On Tuesday morning, Das returned to the college accompanied by the IIC of Bhadrak Town police station and a local magistrate in an effort to mediate between the opposing student groups. However, the protesting students blocked the college gate, preventing their entry.
Bhadrak Town IIC Pravanshu Mishra said the issue is yet to be resolved. Security at the college remains tight as authorities continue efforts to defuse the situation.