Bhubaneswar/Sambalpur: Irate students of BJB Autonomous College in the capital city today locked up the Arts Block gate demanding prompt action against those involved in campus violence in May this year.
However, normalcy was restored inside the campus after college authorities and police intervened in the matter and assured the students of looking into the matter.
The agitating students accused the police of maintaining a soft stance on those involved in the brutal assault inside the campus in May this year over the students’ union polls held last year in which six students were injured while one of the students was critically injured and hospitalised. Following the incident, the irate students took up the matter with the college authorities and the police. Later, the college authorities had filed a case in Badagada Police Station.
“The students involved in campus violence and against whom FIRs are lodged in the police station, are roaming freely inside the campus. This speaks volume of the gross inaction of the police against these perpetrators,” said Partha Sarathi Pradhan, a student, while expressing his resentment.
“We have registered complaint with the Bhubaneswar DCP and IIC of Badagada Police Station and staged road blockades time and again over the issue but to no avail. Though the police has promised to nab the culprits, it has taken no action against them till date. Now, the accused are entering into the campus freely and fearlessly,” said Sweta Das a girl student.
In Sambalpur, students of Gangadhar Meher University staged dharna inside the campus demanding immediate filling up of lecturer posts lying vacant in Odia department. The students later withdrew the dharna after the vice chancellor of the University announced appointment of two lecturers in Odia department. The vice chancellor, however, declined to comment on the development to the media.
“There are a total of six posts of lecturer in our department of which contract teachers have been appointed against two posts while a regular lecturer has been recently transferred,” said Sandeep Kumar Mishra, a student of the University.
Notably, out six lecturer posts in the Odia department of the University, two posts have been filled up with the appointment of lecturers on contract. The third post had fallen vacant recently after the transfer of a regular lecturer. This staff crunch had created serious trouble for students. As the examinations are round the corner, the students boycotted classes and staged dharna demanding immediate appointment of two more lecturers.