Bhubaneswar: The Odisha capital witnessed tense scenes on Thursday when three non-students drove a Mahindra Thar SUV into the premises of Maharishi College of Natural Law around noon, sparking panic among students and faculty.
According to sources, the intruders allegedly engaged in a heated confrontation with the students that quickly turned physical. Following which, agitated students blocked the vehicle inside the campus, preventing the group from leaving, while the college administration swiftly locked the main gates to contain the situation.
Following urgent calls from the campus, a team from Saheed Nagar police station rushed to the spot and arrested the accused, identified as Imtiyaz Khan (19) of Cuttack, Santosh Mangaraj (21) of Bhubaneswar and Om Prakash Sahoo (19) of Nayagaga, and registered a case based on student complaints. All three were staying in Laxmisagar area. Plastic pipes were also seized from their vehicle.
In the aftermath, security at the college was ramped up significantly with police deployed at the main entrance, enforcing strict checks and allowing entry only to those with valid student ID cards.
This latest clash has revived memories of a previous violent episode at the same institution in April 2023, when a group of more than 10 youths armed with iron rods and sticks assaulted three Plus II first-year students. That attack was reportedly in retaliation after students objected to lewd remarks directed at female classmates. , the outsider had given a written undertaking that he will not enter the campus. The issue was resolved after the outsiders, in the presence of police, gave a written undertaking to the principal not to repeat such behavior.