Bhagalpur College of Engineering. Picture by Amit Kumar

Bhagalpur, June 12: The boarders of Bhagalpur College of Engineering (BCE) hostels today condemned the failure of the college administration to prevent clashes on the hostel premises. They also accused it of not taking any action against the troublemakers.

A violent clash between two groups of students on June 10 compelled the BCE authorities to vacate all its four hostels.

In-charge principal of the college B.K. Choudhary said the administration asked the inmates to vacate the hostels because of the simmering tension in the college.

He also admitted that because of frequent clashes the college has to suffer infrastructure losses as well as academic slow-down. “About 10-11 students have been identified as troublemakers and the college administration would take appropriate action against the students who created the mess,” he said.Tension is brewing on the college campus after the clash on Friday. Around five to six hostel inmates, who sustained serious injuries in the clash, were admitted to JLNMC hospital in Bhagalpur on the same day but they managed to escape without taking any treatment from the hospital.

“The situation aggravated on June 11 morning, which compelled the college administration to take the decision of closing the hostels,” a source said. “We have nothing to do with the clash but closing down the hostels will have a serious impact on our studies,” a hostel inmate said.

Sources in the hostel said the clash was a result of seniors ragging junior hostel inmates. “Earlier, the senior students used to harass us on caste lines. The seniors hail from influential caste background,” said a third-year BCE student, who is a hostel inmate. He, along with several other students, alleged that despite several complaints to the principal of the college, no steps have been taken by the management to prevent such clashes. The sources said outsiders mostly occupied the hostels, stayed overnight and also enjoyed food of the hostel canteen. “Some of the inmates invite their friends to the hostels, who on their behalf, act as musclemen for their friends,” a source said. Frequent clashes spoil the academic atmosphere of the college.

BCE has earned disrepute over the years after students, especially the hostel inmates, indulged in fighting against each other. Sources in the college said most of the clashes were outcome of caste conflicts.