Patna: Patna district magistrate Sanjay Kumar Agarwal on Tuesday submitted a report to a high court bench hearing a case related to encroachment at Patna University.

On October 4, the same bench comprising Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice Anil Kumar Upadhyay had directed Agarwal to submit a report within two weeks, giving details of encroachment at the varsity.

On the court's directive, the state government had earlier formed a committee led by Agarwal and comprising Patna University registrar G.K. Palei, which went through the minute details of encroachment at the varsity. The court had directed the Patna district magistrate to inform how much encroachment has been removed from the university campus so far and how much remains to be removed.

The reply sought by the court also included the timeframe during which the remaining encroachment was supposed to be removed and as to why after so many directives passed by this court the encroachments have not been completely removed so far.

Agarwal, in his report to the court on Tuesday, said work regarding construction of the boundary wall of Saidpur hostel would begin soon as all obstacles have been removed coming in the way of its construction.

Locals had objected to the construction of the boundary wall citing it was creating impediment to them, thereby, blocking their way to their residences. The locals have also filed an interlocutory application in the court regarding this. An interlocutory application is filed seeking some urgent relief or to bring certain new facts to the knowledge of the court.

However, Agarwal in his report on Tuesday told the court that the boundary wall was not creating any obstacles to the residents as in the absence of the wall the locals have been using the space as a passage. Agarwal also informed the court that alternate ways are available for the residents.

On the submission of Agarwal, the court on Tuesday dismissed the interlocutory application filed by the locals.

A public interest litigation (PIL) was filed by social activist Vikash Chandra alias Guddu Baba who had informed the court that there were altogether 275 encroachments at the university and the campuses of its constituent colleges.

Hearing the matter, the court had directed Agarwal to constitute a committee to conduct a spot verification of the campus, hear any encroacher if required and submit a detailed report to the court indicating the nature of encroachment, the particulars of the encroachers and other factors connected thereto.

While hearing the matter, the court had ruled that it was not difficult to imagine the nature of disturbance to the students and teachers from the unauthorised encroachers. The bench had also remarked: "It was the responsibility of the state to ensure that public property, that too where the institutions of higher level are located, are protected from encroachment."

Saidpur hostel has gained notoriety over the years for nurturing hooligans and becoming a virtual den of criminals. The matter came to light once again on July 31 last year, when the city police recovered five bombs and explosives from the hostel campus during a raid conducted by it. The police had then claimed that the explosives were stored allegedly for carrying out campus violence. It was then that the high court took the matter suo motu after the bomb recovery news was published in the media.

The matter would again be heard after four weeks.