Odisha minister makes surprise visit to Utkal University

Bhubaneswar: Three days after student unrest at Utkal University, Higher Education Minister Arun Sahoo made a surprise visit to the state’s premier educational institution here today.

Accompanied by Higher Education Secretary Saswat Mishra, the minister, who is also a former student leader of Utkal University, visited here at around 8.00 am to review infrastructure and facilities available for the students at the campus.

He held meeting with the Vice Chancellor Soumendra Mohan Patnaik to discuss development of the university.

The minister’s visit came just three days after students staged protest over various demands on Monday. They had gheraoed the office of VC pressing for fulfillment of a 10-point chatter of demands.

The agitation had turned uglier as the protestors faced-off with the police personnel deployed at the site to prevent the students from entering the chamber of VC.