Angul: Tension gripped Angul Government Autonomous College after a contractual lecturer was reportedly assaulted by a group of students Friday. The victim was rescued and admitted to the district headquarters hospital where his condition was stated to be critical. He was identified as Pradyumna Beura.
Police registered two separate cases in this connection. Beura claimed that the attack was an an act of revenge by a student and his aides as he had caught the student for copying. Beura identified him as Srikant Nayak, a final year student of Commerce.
On the other hand, Srikant’s brother claimed that the attack was over a love affair. The lecturer allegedly tried to propose a girl who was in a relationship with Srikant. After being informed by the girl, Srikant told some of his family members about it and they hatched a plan to attack the teacher.
Sources said the incident occurred while Beura was taking philosophy classes for Plus III final year students. Some students stormed into the classroom and dragged him out by holding his shirt’s collar. The accused students dragged him down the staircase and brought him to the downstairs of the college where they beat him in front of hundreds of students.
Other students stood there as mere spectators as no one came forward to save the teacher. Later, the students who attacked the teacher took him outside the college gate where they were joined by non-students who assaulted the lecturer with hockey sticks and lathis.
Later, Beura was made to sit inside a car and attacked again. Then they threw him out of the running vehicle and fled, sources said.
Later, a colleague of Beura admitted him to the district headquarters hospital. After preliminary treatment, he was shifted to a private nursing home, it was learnt. Police registered a case and launched a probe.
Following this incident, some students locked the college and staged a demonstration demanding action against the miscreants. The agitation was called off after college authorities ensured action against the attackers. PNN
