Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Bhubaneswar, Oct 3:

It seems campus violence has gone viral in Odisha as authorities have cancelled students’ union elections in five more colleges today.

Campus violence in Anandpur College Campus violence in Anandpur College

Barely two days ahead of the polls, student unrest has forced the college authorities to scrap the elections and declare sine die.

Earlier in the day, students went on a rampage at Anandpur College in Keonjhar after the nomination of a presidential candidate— Rabindra Kumar Behera— was cancelled. The staff council convened an emergency meeting where it decided to cancel the election and declared sine die.

“It is a conspiracy by the ruling party to cancel my nomination. A student against whom three cases are pending is contesting election in Utkal University. How can be rules different for different people?” the aggrieved candidate questioned.

Meanwhile, three platoons of police force have been deployed in the campus in view of the volatile situation. According to reports, police have arrested 10 students in this connection.

“As tensions prevailed in the campus, the principal has cancelled the election and declared sine die. The college campus has been handed over to district administration,” Anandpur Sub Collector Maheswar Swain said.

On the other hand, polls have been cancelled in Government Women’s college in Khurda due to violence over cancellation of the nomination of a candidate. Following this, the enraged students locked the college main gate and shouted slogans. The girl students also had a scuffle with police personnel and college staff.

Similar was the scene at Government Women’s College in Baripada, KBDAV College in Nirakarpur, Dr. Harekrushna Mahatab College in Kupari and Godabarish College in Banapur where students’ union polls have been cancelled and sine die has been declared.