With Students’ Union elections scheduled for October 5, the Utakl University and Ramadevi Women’s University here witnessed pre-poll violence on Saturday.
Tension erupted at the Utkal University when unidentified outsiders torn posters of the Chhatra Congress presidential candidate. later, irate students gheraoed Vice-Chancellor Ashok Das and demanded immediate action against the culprit and stopping of entry of nonstudents to the campus.
Sources said some youths riding motorcycles entered the campus and torn the posters the Congress-backed presidential candidate.
After the VC assured of early action in the issue, the students called off their agitation.
“We will intensify the surveillance system. Security has been tightened in the campus and also near the gates to prevent entry of nonstudents. In this case, justice will be ensured,” said the VC.
Meanwhile, tension also prevailed at the Ramadevi Women’s University as two groups of students engaged in a face-off over the entry of no students to the campus.
When a group of girl students under the banner of the Ramadevi Students’ Voice Organisation opposed the entry of no students and other outsiders, the BJD-backed aspirant candidates allegedly started abusing them, sources said.
“They (BJD workers) are regularly visiting the campus and destroying the teaching atmosphere here by tearing down posters. When we opposed it, the BJD-backed students and aspirant candidates for the ensuing polls threatened us,” alleged a member of the Ramadevi Students’ Voice Organisation.
In view of the tension in both the campuses, police are keeping a close watch to prevent the situations from aggravating.