The process of eviction of encroachment on the land of Rajendra University in Bolangir started on Monday.
In the presence of the Bolangir tehsildar, the eviction drive was launched. In the first phase, some shops and stalls are being razed. Today, some portions of four shops constructed on the encroached land were pulled down. Police force was deployed at the spot to avoid any untoward incident.
The tehsildar informed that the university land will be made encroachment-free in the coming days. At present, the university is in need of land to carry out its developmental activities.
However, later in the day, the Orissa High Court ordered a stay on the eviction drive.
Rajendra College, the oldest college in Bolangir district set up in 1944, was upgraded into a university on September 1, 2020, and was recognized as a university under Section (F) of the UGC ACT, 1956 on July 30, 2021. It had hundreds of acres of land in its name since the time when the area was ruled by kings. With the passage of time, people started encroaching upon its land.