Muzaffarpur Institute of Technology was closed sine die on Friday, a day after a clash between two groups of students.

The boarders of seven hostels, including girl students, have been asked to vacate their rooms and leave the campus latest by Friday evening. Students have started leaving the institution following the order.

Anjani Kumar Nathani, the principal of Muzaffarpur Institute of Technology (MIT), said the decision to close the institution indefinitely was taken following consultations with sub-divisional officer (east) Sunil Kumar and deputy superintendent of police (city) Anil Kumar Singh. Teachers of the institute supported the decision.

Misha Jha, a third-year student, differed. She said the decision to close down the college after the declaration of the exam schedule surprised her. But she too moved out of the campus reluctantly after some of her peers shifted to nearby private hostels following the clash and the subsequent decision of the authorities to close the college.

Nathani, the MIT principal, said six students suffered injuries in Thursday’s clash. One of them — Niraj Kumar — was rushed to a private nursing home late in the night with head injuries.

Police said more than 15 students were injured in the clash. Some of them are undergoing treatment at Sri Krishna Medical College and Hospital and other private clinics.

Sub-divisional officer (east) Sunil Kumar said the two groups clashed following a heated exchange over a trivial issue outside the mechanical department hall. Police personnel have been deployed and patrolling in the vicinity of MIT has been intensified as a precautionary measure.

Senior superintendent of police Saurav Kumar said three FIRs had been lodged in connection with the clash. Two named FIRs involving 24 students from both the groups have been registered with Barhampura police station. Another FIR has been lodged against unidentified students who ransacked the assets of MIT. Saurav said he had issued an order to arrest the students named in the FIRs.

A senior teacher of MIT’s civil engineering department said majority of the students had made a mockery of the system. Some teachers of the mechanical department said the students feared nobody and forced the college authorities to dance to their tunes.

A few girl students said some boys had unleashed a reign of terror on the campus. They indulge in unethical and immoral activities, said a second-year girl student.

The MIT administration and the police should act tough with the unruly boys, said Dilip Bhagat, a tea vendor outside the MIT campus.

Nathani had asked the members of the disciplinary committee of the college to investigate into the case and tighten the noose around the mischief mongers. The committee could take drastic actions, including awarding black dots and denying character certificate, against the students involved in the clash, he added.