Utkal VC’s office gheraoed over holding students’ union poll

Bhubaneswar: Utkal University witnessed tension when it reopened on Monday after being shut for almost three weeks following student unrest.

Demanding election to the students’ union, a group of students gheraoed the office of Vice-Chancellor Soumendra Mohan Patnaik. They demanded that the authorities reconsider the issue and conduct the polls for this year.

The varsity authorities refused to comment on the matter. On the other hand, PG Council chairman Brahmananda Satpathy said all examinations will be conducted by October 25.

Heavy police force has been deployed on the campus to prevent any untoward incident.

The decision to lift sine die closure was taken in a meeting between a nine-member committee of the university and twin cities Police Commissioner Y B Khurania the previous day.

The university was closed sine die on September 18 following sporadic incidents of violence ahead of the students’ union elections. On September 26, the university authorities had decided to have a look on the sine die closure after the puja vacation following assessment of law and order situation on the campus.