BIT students protest outside the campus on Tuesday. Picture by Ranjeet Kumar Dey

Tension prevailed on the BIT campus on Tuesday after a scuffle over meal between first and second-year students.

Sources said senior students beat up their juniors. Civil engineering student Akash Kumar and IT department’s Ashish Mishra, both first year students, suffered minor injuries in the brawl.

More than 50 first-year students staged a protest in front of college main gate in the evening demanding action against the seniors.

The college administration, however, claimed that the situation was normal. Birla Institute of Technology (BIT) registrar Ritesh Singh said: “The situation is under control as the college administration has talked to both the batches. The students have been asked to concentrate on their studies as the semester examinations are going on.”

City superintendent of police (SP) Shivdeep Lande visited the campus. He said: “The police have counselled both the senior and junior students. No case has been lodged, as it could tarnish their careers.”

According to first-year students, the violence was in retaliation to Monday’s incident in which some second-year students allegedly beat up their junior as they took their meals before senior students.

A first-year student said: “On Monday afternoon, some students (Akash and Ashish) were having their meals at the hostel mess when some senior students arrived there and asked them to take their meal after them. However, the juniors insisted on having their meal, as they had to appear for their examination. Irked over the refusal, the seniors dragged out the juniors. On hearing the commotion, other juniors rushed to rescue the duo. The matter was sorted out at that time.”

He added: “At night, some senior students went to the junior students’ room and attacked them with knuckledusters and rods. The juniors called out for other seniors (third and fourth year) but neither the guards nor other students helped them.”

The third- and fourth-year students have tried to keep themselves away from the clash, as an involvement could affect them academically.

A fourth-year student, who has been placed at IT major Wipro, said: “We don’t want to indulge in such incidents, as it could hurt our careers.”