Panic gripped students of the BJB Autonomous College here after unidentified bike-borne miscreants hurled crude bomb into the playground of the college close to the Science Block in the run of the Students’ Union polls scheduled to be held on October 5.
However, no damage or casualty was reported in the incident.
“We were playing football when some youths threw the bomb into the playground from outside the boundary wall. The crude bomb exploded near the Science Block,” said a student.
Soon after the incident, the college authorities suspended the classes to avert any further eventuality and clash among the student groups.
On being informed, the Badagada police reached the spot and started investigation. Though the reason behind the bomb hurling was yet to be ascertained, it was suspected that the incident was an instance of pre-poll violence.
Notably, two student groups of the college belonging to the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and the Biju Chhatra Janata Dal (BCJD) had a clash on August 8 pertaining to a college poll issue. Police had arrested some students in connection with the incident that night.
However, the students of the Arts stream protesting the inaction of the Badagada police in arresting outsiders involved in the clash on several occasions had blocked road and locked the college gate. But the police are sitting idle, it was alleged.
Meanwhile, the fresh bomb hurling issue has put a big question mark on the chances of holding the Students’ Union polls in the institute.