Baripada: Government Women’s College authorities here Monday cancelled the students’ union elections after miscreants burst firecrackers in the common room in the afternoon.
Tension prevailed on the college premises after a cracker exploded with a bang in the toilet of the women’s common room. The incident triggered panic among the students as the girls assembled at the common room ran helter-skelter fearing the worst. Later, a section of the girls met principal Subhash Chandra Patra in his office and demanded cancellation of the elections due to the growing unrest on the college campus.
Patra soon called a meeting of the staff council and finally talked to police and administrative officials before announcing cancellation of the elections and suspension of classes. He however clarified that the college office will remain open for admission following a 10 per cent increase in seats by the state government, he said.
Elections were scheduled to be held for four posts of the students’ union after candidates for the post of president and five other posts were elected unopposed. Similarly, elections at Takatpur based-North Orissa University will only be held for the post of president as candidates filing nominations for other posts were elected unopposed.
Earlier, authorities had cancelled the elections and declared closure sine die at Baripada College and MPC Junior College due to violent clashes between student groups.
Meanwhile, tension flared at Anandapur Government College with college authorities declaring the institute closed sine die due to campus unrest in Keonjhar district Monday.
Rival student groups clashed with each other after a student’s candidature was cancelled, sources said. Enraged students vandalized furniture. Police arrived at the college and lathicharged protesting students. Police said they resorted to lathicharge after the situation went out of hand.
Some students identified as Sarat Mallick, Sanatan Mallick, Ranjan Kumar Panda, and Bibhuti Bhusan Nahak sustained injures during the lathicharge. Similarly, girl students Anushaya Mishra, Mamali Sa, Sipra Nahak, Sanjulata Jena, Ranjita Behera and Arati Dehuri also accused the police of using disproportionate force. College authorities later declared sine die.
Police registered a case against a candidate Rabindra Behera based on a complaint by the college principal on the charge of vandalising college property. Eight students who refused to obey police orders to leave the campus and go home have been placed under arrest, police said. PNN