Utkal VC stages hunger strike for normalcy on campus

Bhubaneswar: Perturbed over student unrest and disturbances on Utkal University campus, Vice-Chancellor (VC) Soumendra Mohan Patnaik staged a hunger strike in front of his office on Tuesday.

The strike, which he called ‘Introspective Silent Fasting’, will continue till 8 pm.

Patnaik, accompanied by other officials of the university, also appealed to the students to cooperate with them in restoring peace and normalcy on the campus.

Soon after the varsity reopened after 20-day sine die closure, a group of students gheraoed the VC and PG Council chairman demanding students’ union polls, which was cancelled on September 18 following sporadic incidents of violence and clashes.

Higher Education Minister Ananta Das said he was not aware of the development. He, however, said a meeting of principal and VCs of all colleges and universities will be held today and Utkal University will figure in the discussion.