Utkal University launches sudden crackdown on non-students occupying hostel rooms

Following the suspicious death of a driver on Sunday night, Utkal University authorities in Bhubaneswar have launched a sudden crackdown on non-students occupying hostel rooms.

The Vice-Chancellor has warned that if necessary, police action will be taken to remove such occupants.

During surprise inspections, large numbers of empty liquor bottles and other items were found in hostel premises, shocking both students and staff. Reports suggest that for years, student leaders and non-students have been occupying over 150 rooms in various hostels.

With hostels under non-student control turning into hangouts for anti-social elements, the academic environment has been deteriorating. Hostel No. 3, for instance, was littered with empty liquor bottles and other intoxicant-related materials, indicating how easily such substances are obtained.

While investigating Sunday night’s incident, the suspicious death of an outsider driver inside Hostel No. 3, authorities uncovered hundreds of empty liquor bottles, further exposing the depth of the problem. 

According to sources, the Vice-Chancellor received an urgent call from the Raj Bhavan regarding the matter. Questions have been raised on how did an outsider driver gain access to the hostel? Under what circumstances did his death occur?

Acting on the Vice-Chancellor’s directives, the PG hostel wardens have issued letters to superintendents to initiate strict action. Room-to-room checks are underway to identify and evict non-students.

"We have held a discussion today to take steps to evict the non-students from the hostels. Only students will stay at hostel and proper education will be imparted. We are also holding discussions about the matter with the administration," said Utkal University VC Jagneshwar Dandapat.

The presence of outsiders in Vani Vihar hostel is nothing new. For years, unaffiliated persons and former student leaders have taken over various hostels, engaging in campus politics. Some are even accused by PG students of renting out rooms for hefty sums, earning thousands of rupees in the process.

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"It's not the matter at hostel no.3 only, they have taken over around 150 rooms in hostel No.1 and hostel No.2 as well. The non-students occupying these rooms are ruining the academic environment at Vani Vihar. When the students are not getting rooms in the hostel, providing rooms to the alumni are not justified," said Basudev Panigrahi, a PG student.

With student union elections potentially taking place this year, all eyes are now on whether the Utkal University administration’s anti-encroachment drive will bring lasting peace to campus politics.