Delivery boys, cab drivers staying in Utkal University hostel! Liquor bottles, heaters found in rooms

A massive crackdown at Utkal University’s Vani Vihar campus has exposed the extent of illegal occupation in its hostels, with liquor bottles seized and outsiders evicted during a large-scale raid on Monday.

Acting on the instructions of the university administration, police personnel, hostel wardens, and senior faculty members jointly launched an eviction drive, codenamed Operation ‘Blue Star’, targeting four men’s hostels notorious for being illegally occupied.

The raid followed a circular issued recently, directing non-students to vacate hostel rooms that had been encroached upon for years. Officials said Hostels No. 1, 2, 3, and 5 were particularly affected, with outsiders including delivery boys, cab drivers, and even matric fail individuals, using the campus hostels as residences.

Also Read: Operation ‘Blue Star’ launched at Utkal University to evict non-students from hostels, heavy security deployed

During the operation, a huge cache of liquor bottles was recovered from several rooms, reinforcing concerns that the hostels had turned into a hub for illegal activities. According to officials, some of the occupants were allegedly linked with political organisations, further complicating the security situation on campus.

Despite repeated deadlines and warnings from the university authorities, the unauthorised residents had refused to vacate, forcing the administration to take strong action. The presence of non-students was seen as a major security threat, disrupting academic life and creating an unsafe environment for genuine boarders.

With the eviction drive now underway, university officials have stressed that they are committed to restoring discipline and ensuring that hostel facilities are used solely by enrolled students. The crackdown, they said, is aimed at safeguarding both the academic atmosphere and the reputation of the state’s premier university.