The kidnap attempt of a student of the Sambalpur University here from outside girls’ hostel on Tuesday evening triggered tension on the campus.
According to sources, Pratibha Pradhan, a native of Attabira in Bargarh district staying in the Narmada Girls’ Hostel, was going to the neighbrouing Prabhabati Devi Girls’ Hostel at around 5.30 pm when two bike-borne youths gagged her and took her to a desolate spot behind the Shiva temple near the Hostel.
The girl, who took admission in Chemistry department a few days back, claimed that one of the youths had acid with him and threatened to pour it over her.
However, she managed to escape from their clutches and ran back to the hostel where she narrated the incident to the inmates.
Following the incident, the students met Vice-Chancellor Prof BC Barik to express concern over their security.
Though the Vice-Chancellor assured them of taking necessary steps, hundreds of students marched out of their hostel to the police outpost on the campus, ransacked it and set a scooter on fire before staging a blockade on the National Highway which was continuing till the report was filed.
Meanwhile, the parents of the girl refused to lodge a complaint with the police and left for their native village.