Ranchi, Oct. 14: A student of a Gumla college walked into the principal's chamber with a bhojali and hacked him to death this afternoon in what primarily appears to be cold-blooded revenge for an order to leave hostel over money muddle.
The shocking incident took place at Kartik Oraon College - the only degree cradle in Gumla district, located some 95km from capital Ranchi - around 1pm. Sources at the college said there was no heated argument before BA Part II student Rakesh Kujur (20) landed his dagger on 58-year-old Sashi Bhushan's neck.
"The student struck three to four times before the principal collapsed and died. He then walked out and went to his room," a local source said and added that Kujur was later arrested from the hostel with the weapon. A case of murder has been registered against him.
Kartik Oraon College, named after a noted engineer and former Union minister, is a constituent of Ranchi University with more than 6,000 students on its rolls.
Varsity vice chancellor Ramesh Pandey, accompanied by dean (student welfare) S.C. Gupta and registrar A.K. Choudhary, has rushed to Gumla.
Gumla SP Bheemsen Tuti told The Telegraph that though they were yet to nail the motive, preliminary investigations suggested that the student was angry over a notice served to him two days ago. "He (Kujur) was asked to leave hostel over misappropriation of money. The order didn't go down well with the student and might have prompted him to kill the principal."
Kujur, a native of Hurhuria village, 25km from campus, lived in the 100-bed hostel that is run for tribal students like him by the state welfare department. A former prefect, he had allegedly embezzled more than Rs 10,000 during his tenure in office. Angry boarders held a meeting on Monday and persuaded the principal to oust him.
"He (Kujur) has no criminal antecedent. Apparently he worked as a labourer to make ends meet. He claims he met the principal yesterday and had pleaded with him to consider his case, but Bhushan had been stern," the SP said.
Tuti further said that Kujur was frequently changing his statement and offering misleading information. "He once told police that he committed the murder after his classmates asked him to do so. But, he could not name them. He is obviously lying about many things."
South Chotanagpur DIG Arun Kumar Singh subscribed to the preliminary findings. "Kujur was dismissed from hostel two days ago. That appears to be the trigger," Singh said.
Vice chancellor Pandey met Bhushan's bereaved family members - the principal is survived by his widow, two daughters and a son - who live in Dunduria, 3km from the campus. While Bhushan was the head of geography before he was promoted as principal, his younger brother Deo Bhushan is a lecturer at Gumla's Ghaghra College.
"It is a very unfortunate incident. We have lost a great teacher," the RU vice chancellor told The Telegraph. Pandey also called on deputy commissioner Dinesh Chandra Mishra, urging him to beef up security in the college. "There are over 6,000 students in arts, science and commerce streams, besides 30 teachers. Their safety is paramount," he said.
The college was founded in July 1960 and originally named Gumla College. Classes were initially held on the premised of SS High School. Later, Ratu Maharaj Lal Chintamani Sharan Nath Shahdeo donated 59 acres in Rani Bagicha for the permanent campus. It was renamed after Kartik Oraon and became a constituent of Ranchi University in 1978.
