Bhubaneswar: Tension gripped the premises of BJB Autonomous College in Odisha capital late Tuesday night when a heated dispute during a farewell celebration escalated into a full-blown clash between students of two hostels, leaving 25 injured.
According to sources, the confrontation was triggered by a disagreement over playing loud DJ music during the farewell party organised at Ashok hostel. Inmates of Ambedkar hostel alerted PCR van, which barred the students from holding DJ night. However, some students started playing music with their own music systems, leading to another round of argument at around 1.30-2 am, which quickly turned chaotic with both groups allegedly retorted to stone pelting, which lasted for nearly an hour, turning the premises into a ‘battleground’.
Bystanders, including students not involved in the fight, locked themselves in their rooms out of fear as the violence unfolded.
The injured students were later taken to Capital Hospital here for treatment.
On being informed, police arrived at the spot to restore order and bring the situation under control. While security on the campus has been beefed up with police setting up a temporary camp, college authorities have launched an internal investigation to pinpoint the exact sequence of events and identify those responsible. Disciplinary measures, including potential rustication or other actions, are expected against the involved students, the sources added.
A student, speaking to the media, attributed the clash to previous conflict between inmates of the two hostels. Stones and glass shards from a broken bottle were found strewn on the campus this morning.
