Gangtok, Sept. 8: The Sikkim Manipal Institute of Technology near here was shut down indefinitely today after a series of clashes between boarders and day scholars but hundreds were stuck in the hostel because of a virtual siege of the area by local people.

The clashes, which began on Sunday over a volleyball match, led to a raging brick battle this morning, forcing police to burst tear-gas shells and chase students across the campus with batons. The police stormed a boys’ hostel after a brick hit one of the personnel.

Eight students needed first aid at the Singtam District Hospital.

The hostels on the campus have about 4,000 students and, according to sources, a third of them are from Bengal.

The institute said arrangements would be made to evacuate those wanting to go home.

A fourth-year BTech student from Lake Gardens in Calcutta said over the phone: “We have been told that we will be escorted to Siliguri by the army at 4.30am tomorrow. I am in touch with my parents.”

Personnel from the Sikkim Armed Police and the India Reserve Battalion have thrown a cordon around the campus, about 45km from Gangtok.

Bengal home secretary Ardhendu Sen said the state was ready to help the institute evacuate the students if it wanted.

A Sikkim police officer said talks were on with students to end the impasse.

The trouble broke out over a foul during the volleyball match. “It was a trivial incident, but snowballed after day scholars accompanied by outsiders beat up three students — Ujjwal Kumar, Jitender and Gautam Jha. Instead of taking the injured to hospital, the police took them to Rangpo police station,” said a fourth-year electrical and electronics engineering student.

“We are being targeted by outsiders and the authorities are blind to this,” he added.