Following a clash between two student groups inside the campus of the Utkal University on Wednesday night, the PG Council of the university has decided not to hold the students’ union polls for the current year.
In a meeting on Thursday, the university authorities decided to cancel the polls in view of the frequent bouts of bloody confrontations among the student groups. Wednesday’s hooliganism was the fiercest one in last few months. The students created a panic situation in the university campus with a series of fighting. To maintain law and order, four platoons of police forces have been deployed in the campus.
“After a thorough discussion on the situation prevailing in the campus, we finally have decided not to hold polls of the students’ union this year. We feel that if the elections are stopped for the coming seven years, peace and tranquility can be restored in the campus,” said PG Council Chairman Prof Prafulla Mishra.
Meanwhile, Vice-Chancellor Prof Prashant Sahu on Thursday discussed with Twin City Commissioner of Police RP Sharma on the security situation inside the university campus. Sharma assured the V-C of prompt action to restore normalcy.
According to Sahu, henceforth strict vigil would be maintained on the outsiders who enter into the campus of the university. “As it is a big university, many people come every day with different purposes. So we have decided to issue identity cards or pass system to the visitors,” he added.
Sharma said the university would issue pass to the visitors where they have to mention about the purpose of the visit and the person they meet. The university would also resort to frisking at the gate, he added.
Notably, six students were injured in a clash between two student groups in the campus on Wednesday. The incident had taken place in front of the Gopabandhu hostel of the university. Four platoons of police forces were deployed in the campus to control the situation.
Within last five days, three incidents occurred on the premises of the campus.
Meanwhile, BJP Yuba Morcha expressed grave concern over deteriorating condition of law and order in the university.
The academic atmosphere of the campus has been marred by frequent clashes with intervention of outsiders, non students and hooligans, they added.
The morcha said that common and genuine students have to bear the brunt as clashes are sponsored by Congress and BJD supported goons. There are around 20 FIRs pending pertaining to clashes and attacks in last two years, but police are sitting silent on the FIRs, they added, demanding strict action against persons creating clashes inside the campus.