Patna/Gaya, Jan. 10: The health department on Thursday ordered the closure of medical classes at Anugrah Narayan Medical College and Hospital (ANMCH) for an indefinite period and asked its students to vacate the hostel by Friday.

The department took the decision after the district administration’s efforts to end the medics’ four-day-old strike failed.

The students have been demanding the construction of a boundary wall on the northern end of the campus or at least a deadline for completion of the boundary wall. The construction of the boundary wall had also started but it was stopped on Wednesday considering the adamant attitude of the striking students.

Residents of Bhuin Toli on the campus’ northern end and another colony on the west had clashed with the students on Sunday evening.

Even today, the residents pelted stones on the students on strike that has paralysed the emergency and the outpatient departments since Monday.

On being apprised, deputy superintendent of police Rakesh Kumar Dubey rushed to the ANMCH campus.

He later said local residents had blocked the road in front of the medical college, demanding restoration of health services at the emergency and the outpatient departments.

ANMCH superintendent Sitaram Prasad, however, said the car of dermatology departmental head Surendra Kumar was damaged in the stone-pelting by residents.

The district administration has started building toilets for slum dwellers residing on the northern side of ANMCH.