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Bhubaneswar: Incidents of student unrest continue to surface leading to cancellation of elections in five more colleges in Odisha.
Two days before the students’ union polls, some students allegedly ransacked office of Anandpur College here in Keonjhar district and set the furniture and some office computers on fire after the nomination of a presidential candidate was cancelled on the ground that the aspirant has criminal background.
Also Read:Campus poll in 6 more colleges cancelled, tension in Utkal Varsity
Following tension, the authorities called for a staff council meeting where the elections were cancelled and sine die was declared.
The college authorities said the vandalism was fully pre-planned. “It is a pre-planned act of some students. They attended the class in the morning and after then some of them entered the office room in presence of head clerk and ransacked furniture and computers. The irate students also set the furniture on fire,” Prinicipal Bijay Kumar Kar said.
On the other hand, the supporters of presidential aspirant Rabindra Behera staged a dharna in front of the college gate. They alleged the ruling party has hatched a conspiracy to cancel the nomination paper. “A case is pending in my name. But, it is not proved yet. So, why could not I contest the poll? Behera asked.
“Moreover, a student against whom three cases are pending is contesting election in Utkal University. Can the law be applied differently for the same cause?” he questioned.
“Owing to tensions inside the campus the principal has decided to cancel the examination following which the campus has been handed over to the district administration,” said Anandpur Collector Maheswar Swain.
Similar, unrest was experienced in Government Women’s college in Khurda over cancellation of the nomination of a candidate following which irate supporters locked the college gate and entered into a scuffle with college authorities and police.
Moreover, elections in Baripada Government Women’s College, Nirakarpur KBDAV College, Kupari Harekrushna Mahatab College in Balasore and Godabarish College in Banapur have been cancelled and sine die has been declared following student unrest.
In Utkal University, Bhubaneswar, authorities have sought the suggestion of the advocate general after a criminal case surfaced in the name of a candidate running for the president’s post.
