The high court on Wednesday set a deadline of September 27 to remove all encroachment from in and around Saidpur hostel area directing the senior superintendent of police (SSP) personally to ensure compliance of the order.

The division bench of acting Chief Justice I.A. Ansari and Justice Chakradhari Sharan Singh passed the order in a case taken up by the high court suo motu on the basis of media reports highlighting the issue.

The Patna University had earlier informed the court that it was facing problem in removing the encroachment as it needed police support. This prompted the court to summon Patna University vice-chancellor (VC), the registrar and the Patna SSP on Wednesday.

SSP Vikas Vaibhav submitted to the court that the police would provide manpower to the university for anti-encroachment drive.

When the court took exception to the absence of PU VC Y.C. Simhadri in the court, university counsel Vivekanand Singh furnished a medical certificate mentioning that Simhadri was unwell.

The court, however, observed: "We are not fully convinced by the medical certificate. We, however, did not immediately, react to the medical certificate, which has been produced, except observing that the VC did not even show the courtesy of filing a petition before this court or send any letter addressed to the registrar general, Patna High Court, showing the cause of his absence."

Following the court's order, the Patna police have decided to start an anti-encroachment drive at the hostel campus from September 26.

"The directions given by the high court will be implemented at any cost. It will be a two-day drive and all the police stations concerned as well as the cops stationed at the Police Lines are being mobilised for the same," SSP Vikas Vaibhav told The Telegraph.

"The police will not budge at any cost and those showing resistance to the anti-encroachment drive would be dealt with sternly," another police officer said.