Govt panel starts probe into Bhagalpur engineering college violence

BHAGALPUR: A high-level team has started investigation into the reasons behind disturbances at Bhagalpur College of Engineering (BCE), vandalism at the residence of its then principal Prof Nirmal Kumar on August 23 and the circumstances leading to the suicide attempt by a final year student in his hostel room on the campus.

The probe team, headed by science and technology department director Atul Sinha, on Wednesday recorded the statements of BCE officials and teachers, but could not meet the aggrieved students or their representatives as they had been forced to vacate the hostels since the college administration closed the institution till September 14.

Hundreds of students had allegedly attacked the residence of the principal after he ordered final year student Ramesh Kumar to vacate the hostel room on disciplinary grounds on August 23. Subsequently, the BCE authorities lodged an FIR against 11 students and ordered everyone to vacate the hostels immediately. A final year student, Kshitij Kumar Shukla, who was among the 11 named accused, allegedly attempted suicide in his hostel room after the police reached the college campus.

The committee formed by the state government is supposed to hold accountable all those responsible for the unsavoury incidents on the campus.

When contacted on Wednesday, the principal in charge of BCE, Dr Fakruddin Ansari, said the inquiry committee took the details of the disturbances from the college teachers and the BCE officials. Dr Ansari, who is also the principal of Katihar College of Engineering, said no student turned up before the committee. The students would be given another date to get their statements recorded on the entire episode, he said.

Members of the inquiry committee said the students should come forward and get their statements recorded about the incident.


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