Bhagalpur engineering college closed, students to vacate hostels

BHAGALPUR: The

Bhagalpur

College of Engineering (BCE) authorities have ordered to close the college till September 14 and asked the students to vacate the hostels immediately due to the ongoing ruckus on the campus since Thursday night.

The students vandalized BCE principal Nirmal Kumar’s residence after he ordered a final year student Ramesh Kumar to vacate the hostel room on disciplinary grounds.

An FIR was also lodged by the BCE authorities in which 11 students were named and several unnamed were made accused.

Earlier on Friday, principal secretary, science and technology department, Harjot Kaur Bamhrah along with Bhagalpur district magistrate Pranav Kumar and senior superintendent of police (SSP) Ashish Bharati visited the college premises and had detailed discussions with the college teachers and students.

The situation, however, took an ugly turn on Saturday when final year student Kshitij Kumar Shukla allegedly made a suicide bid in his hostel room after police forces reached the college premises on the complaint of BCE authorities to get the hostels vacated.

This enraged the students which resulted in further brawl on the college campus in which two more students--Shivam Kumar and Shahil Saurav—were injured. However, police forces were already present on the campus and the situation was quickly brought under control.

Police and BCE authorities rushed Kshitij to PMCH at Patna after his condition became critical.

Two other injured students were admitted to the Jawahar Lal Nehru Medical College and Hospital (JLNMCH), Bhagalpur.

According to police sources, some vested interest doesn’t want peace to prevail on the campus and want the deadlock to continue.

“Some vested interest which includes a section of students, who do not want implementation of any reforms for academic improvement, besides discipline on the campus and hostels, are behind all this. Even the alleged suicide attempt and injuries to two due to infighting among the students,” said the BCE principal.

Bhagalpur SSP Ashish Bharati said the situation on the BCE campus is under control. “We are keeping a tab on the situation and also trying to figure out the culprits who tried to foment trouble,” said the SSP.