Balasore/Soro: Tension prevailed at Soro Upendranath College after six students were injured during clashes between two groups on the campus Monday.
The incident sparked tension among students as three of the six injured students had sustained critical injuries. The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) has come out sharply against the attack on students claiming the involvement of outsiders in the attack.
The injured students are Bhabani Shankar Parida, Sourav Behera and Sarat Kumar Mallick of Plus III.
Parida was injured in the head and Behera suffered an ear injury. Mallick fractured his hand in the attack. Mallick has not regained consciousness till now.
The injured students were initially admitted to Soro hospital from where they were shifted to the District Headquarters Hospital. Two of the injured students were discharged after first-aid.
Lakshminarayan Nayak, ABVP state Joint Secretary, said six students were injured in the attack and three of them who were critical are being treated at the DHH. He blamed the negligence of college authorities and the police for the incident at a press briefing held at Neliabag here Monday.
Nayak said a delegation comprising district state leaders met the Principal and Soro IIC and submitted a memorandum.
He said some outsiders carrying sharp weapons entered the college around noon and attacked the students near the Principal’s office.
Nayak alleged the students were being targeted by miscreants from outside due to apathy of college principal and police.
ABVP district coordinator Rajat Kumar Patra said lack of action by college authorities and the police has emboldened criminals who managed to get scot-free as they have the support of local politicians.
The ABVP leaders said they will take up the issue with the Governor and warned about a state-wide protest if the culprits were not arrested within 24-hours and action is taken against them within a week.
ABVP’s district Deputy Coordinator Umesh Gahan and other leaders were present at the press meet.
Meanwhile, classes were suspended after the incident while police detained two outsiders. Police have been deployed on the campus to prevent any further flare up of the situation.
When contacted, principal Srikant Samal said attempts are being made to restore peace on the campus while the collector and SP have been informed about the development.
PNN