Berhampur: At least three students of government-owned Parala Maharaja Engineering College on the outskirts of the city were rusticated Wednesday on charge of assaulting two hostel inmates and snatching away Rs 10,000 and a silver bracelet from the latter’s possession the previous day.
This was stated here by the college principal RK Swain to mediapersons Wednesday. The incident sparked tension on the college premises and has resulted in a serious faceoff between the warring groups of students.
The rusticated students were identified as Rajiv Pradhan and Pratyush Moharana of second year electronics and telecommunications engineering (ETC) and Sujit Goud of automobile engineering branch in the college.
They are alleged to have assaulted Jai Kishore Dang of civil branch and Rashmi Ranjan Behera of ETC in the college—both inmates of Sri hostel at Baikuntha Nagar in the city.
The principal said a peace committee meeting was convened in the presence of Gopalpur IIC Susant Sahu where it was decided to rusticate the three boys for breach of discipline in the college. He ruled out supporting the rusticated students as alleged by a section of students.
Tension was palpable on the college premises even as the college authorities rusticated the three students after the victims and their supporters staged a demonstration demanding action against the accused.
The incident occurred when the victims were in their hostel rooms at Baikuntha Nagar Tuesday night. The accused barged into their hostel premises and forcibly took Dang and Behera out near the Bal Ganesh School at Siddharth Nagar.
There the trio accompanied by over 15 accomplices demanded Rs 20,000 from the two boys and assaulted them brutally. Later, they snatched Rs 10,000 and a silver bracelet from their possession.
They threatened them to pay them the remaining Rs 10,000 immediately failing which they will again enter the hostel and beat up the second and third semester inmates.
On being informed, the principal rushed to the hostel at 2 am and held talks with the victims and other inmates. The victims, however, alleged that the principal supported the accused despite being briefed about the incident.
The incident sparked tension on the college premises Wednesday as the victims and their supporters staged demonstration on the college premises demanding rustication of the accused. They alleged that such incidents have been recurring in the college. The accused have so far beaten up over five boys in the hostel.
PNN
