Bhubaneswar, Oct. 6: In a grim reminder of students' union polls increasingly turning violent, unidentified criminals today hurled two crude bombs at the ladies hostel of Rama Devi Women's University here.

No one, however, was injured in the incident.

Rama Devi is not the sole victim of violence related to campus poll. Tension ran high on several college campuses across the state today, which was the last day for filing nomination papers for elections to be held on October 16.

Several colleges, including Maharishi College of Natural Law, Rajdhani College in Bhubaneswar and the S.C.S. Autonomous College in Puri, were closed sine die after elections to students' unions were called off due to campus violence.

At Cuttack's Ravenshaw University, cancellation of the candidature of a presidential aspirant led to tension. Angry supporters of the aspirant accused the authorities of foul play. Later, they gheraoed the dean's office and demanded revocation of the cancellation order.

Tension prevailed at the Rama Devi Women's University after two crude bombs were hurled at the Indira Gandhi Hostel around 11.20am. The impact of the explosions left a few windowpanes broken. The hostel, which is located outside the campus, has 420 boarders.

"Two motorcycle-borne criminals stopped in front of the hostel and hurled something, which exploded after landing on the campus this morning. We were frightened after it exploded with a bang. There were stones in the explosives," said a hostel boarder.

Police suspected that this might be the handiwork of a particular group, which is not in favour of polls apprehending defeat.

"After the students' union election in Utkal University was called off last week, all students' organisation have their eyes fixed on the Rama Devi Women's University, as a result of which, tension is running high on the campus," said a police official.

This is the second such incident in Bhubaneswar. On October 3, crude bombs were thrown outside the general hostel of the BJB College to terrorise its boarders.

Rama Devi registrar Chitrangada Samanta Singhar said there was apparently no plan to call off the student polls.

"The incident has not taken place on the campus, so we plan to go ahead with the polls. We have asked the police to provide adequate security on the campus to tackle any further untoward incidents," she said.

Following tension at the Maharishi College of Natural Law, authorities announced cancellation of the polls, citing possible violence on the campus. The students today staged a demonstration after most of the nominations were cancelled as candidates did fulfil the minimum attendance criteria required to contestthe polls. The protests later turned violent when two student groups engaged in a scuffle on the campus.

"Apprehending further tension, we called off the polls," said college principal Basant Kumar Sahoo.

Poll in the Rajdhani College was also cancelled after discontent among students over rejection of candidature of a number of aspirants for not having 75 per cent attendance.

"The situation on the campus is tense, and in this condition, it would be risky to conduct the polls. So, we decided not to go with it," said principal Jahan Ara Begum.

"All this is happening because of the interest shown by political parties in the polls. Any group that is afraid of the polls do not want it to be held. Availability of crude bombs and political patronage to criminal elements have worsened the scenario," said a student leader, who did not wish to be named.

Deputy commissioner of police (Bhubaneswar) Satyabrata Bhoi said the police were keeping a strict vigil on the college campuses.

"Adequate police personnel have been deployed at various colleges to avoid any untoward incidents," said Bhoi.

The police resorted to mild lathicharge at Dhenkanal Autonomous College after students tried to vandalise the college after the authorities called off elections. In Jeypore, tension prevailed at the Vikram Dev Autonomous College after the nomination of a candidate was cancelled.

Supporters of the candidate vandalised furniture and locked the main gate of the institute. The situation was no better at the Rourkela-based Vedvyas College and the Hrushikesh Ray College, where the students went berserk and damaged college property.