Harassed Odia Students, Teachers In Tripura Cry For Help

Agartala/Bhubaneswar: Alleging harassment and physical assault by the local students and people, about 90 BEd students and 10 teachers of Odisha pursuing studies at the Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan at Agartala in Tripura have desperately sought the urgent intervention of the Odisha government for their safety.

The panic-stricken Odia students and teachers had met the vice-chancellor of the Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan on September 20 and demanded action against the culprits.

“We have taken admission in the Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan after clearing the entrance examination. But here the local students and people are harassing us. They have beaten up some of the boys and girl students and asked us to leave the institutions immediately failing which they have threatened to kill us. We request the Odisha government to come to our rescue as our life is at stake,” a girl student told the media at Agartala.

Narrating the ordeal, another Odia girl said that the local students were on a strike since last 8-10 days demanding our ouster from the institution. “Yesterday, we had gone to meet the vice-chancellor to lodge a complaint when a group of local students and people detained us at the main gate of the institution. When we tried to enter the premises, they assaulted me and some boy students. We are not safe here. Kindly do something and take us back to Odisha,” she saidm, who looked visibly disturbed.

Following the information, the Higher Education Department of the Odisha government in a tweet has said that the State Director General of Police (DGP) has spoken to his counterpart in Tripura to ensure the security of the students.

Informing the media on Thursday, principal secretary, Higher Education, Bishnupada Sethi said the department has asked Prof Radha Madhav Dash, vice-chancellor of the Shri Jagannath Sanskrit University, Puri, and the Director, Higher Education Parameswaran B to visit Agartala to resolve the matter at the earliest.

“Both the vice-chancellor and the Director, Higher Education are leaving today for Agartala,” he informed.

Former Kendrapara MP Baijayant Panda in a tweet on Wednesday, had requested Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb to urgently look into the matter and do the needful at the earliest to ensure the safety of the Odia students.

In a tweet on Thursday, DGP RP Sharma said he came to know about the incident yesterday. “I spoke with DGP Tripura and subsequently the SP visited and has assured security and help. I am closely monitoring the situation and in regular touch with the DGP there,” he added.

Expressing shock over the incident, president of the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) Niranjan Patnaik in a tweet has urged the Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to immediately take up the matter with the Tripura Chief Minister to ensure the safety of the Odia students.