Bimal Kumar

Muzaffarpur Jan. 16: Vice-chancellor of Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar Bihar University, Muzaffarpur, and several other varsity officials became victims of campus ruckus today when a group of agitating students disrupted the senate meeting, held to discuss the annual budget plan.

Hundreds of activists of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and the students’ wing of the ruling Janata Dal (United), Chhatra JD(U), allegedly heckled vice-chancellor Bimal Kumar, pro-vice-chancellor Padmasha Jha, registrar Akhileshwar Prasad Mishra and a host of senators and university employees.

They were demanding immediate election of students’ union, strict implementation of the academic calendar and curb on “lawlessness” in conducting examinations.

The students shouted slogans against the vice-chancellor and went on a rampage in the well of the senate. They overturned the chairs, benches and desks in the hall and uprooted the microphones and other electric gadgets. Amid the chaos, the vice-chancellor and pro-vice-chancellor refused to leave the hall as demanded by the angry students.

Police officers, deployed outside the gate of the hall, also had to face the wrath of the students. A police team, headed by station house officer of Kazi Mohammadpur police station Mohammad Kamal Queraishi, had to resort to lathicharge to disperse the students.

Five students of ABVP and Chhatra JD(U) suffered injuries in the clash with the cops. Later, they were admitted to a private nursing home for treatment.

The students’ protest continued for an hour.

Other members of the senate, including former vice-chancellor Raj Nandan Singh, MLCs Ganesh Bharthi, Narendra Prasad Singh, Mahachandra Prasad Singh, too, had a tough time controlling the frenzied mob. The security guards of the legislators intervened and controlled the commotion.

Bimal Kumar described the students’ protest as “unpleasant, unfortunate and unhealthy”. The VC asked the registrar to lodge an FIR against the unruly students.

Deputy superintendent of police (city) Baccha Singh arrived with heavy police reinforcement to the Senate Hall after which the students fled the premises. Once the situation was brought under control, the meeting began again in the presences of the cops.