Edu minister Debi Prasad Mishra was Utkal University students’ target, but he left seminar venue through a different gate
Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, Nov 6: Some students of Utkal University, who are affiliated to NSUI, Friday hurled eggs at chief secretary G.C. Pati’s car in protest against the alleged lackadaisical attitude of the state government towards the varsity.
The incident occurred at an international seminar organised by Kalinga Lanka Foundation on the university premises attended by top dignitaries including Governor SC Jamir, school and mass education minister Debi Prasad Mishra, the state chief secretary and the high commissioner-designate of Sri Lanka in India.
The students alleged that the government was not concerned about development of the university and that they chose the international seminar to protest against the government.
Sources said the students had planned to hurl eggs at the car of minister Debi Prasad Mishra, but he left the venue through a different gate after reportedly being alerted about the protests beforehand. The students presumed the chief secretary’s car as that of the minister and hurled eggs at it, they added.
This is the second incident of eggs being hurled by protesters at top government functionaries in the state in the last two days. Eggs were hurled at agriculture minister Pradeep Maharathi’s car in Nuapada a day ago.
Sahid Nagar police Friday arrested an Utkal University student in connection with the pelting of stones at the chief secretary’s car. Sahid Nagar police station inspector-in-charge Deepak Kumar Mishra said the arrested student, Ajay Kumar Panda (22), was also wanted for protests in September by students of Utkal University, during which a woman from Chhattisgarh driving her car on the road had died. The September protests were against the cancellation of students’ union elections in the university.
“Panda was also involved in Friday’s protests,” Mishra said. He, however, asserted that no egg hurling incident took place in the university Friday. A case was registered against Panda and he was produced in a court.
