Bhubaneswar, July 27: Utkal University is in the news, but for the wrong reasons.

The university that has created a niche in the field of education is of late grabbing headlines for frequent clashes between students owing affiliation to different political parties.

In the recent past, the university has witnessed several clashes in which criminals were involved to settle scores in political disputes between groups of students.

Recent attempts of varsity authorities to restrict the entry of outsiders into the campus have not been successful.

Police said the manner in which two youths, including a university student, was brutally assaulted with sharp-edged weapons on Saturday could only be the handiwork of professional criminals.

Though the police have arrested seven persons in connection with the latest assault, they are trying to nab the assailants, who are suspected to be aides of the owner of a Chandrasekharpur-based fitness centre.

In 2009, a second-year postgraduate student Parikshit Behera was assaulted with sharp-edged weapons and the police had found involvement of a notorious criminal in the incident.

"Students resorting to violence often attack each other with lathis. However, use of sharp-edged weapons such as machete and sword can only be done by criminals," a police official said.

The multiple entry and exit points to the university are a major hurdle in containing violence on the campus.

Though there are three points for entry and exit from the institute, damaged boundary walls provide several other unguarded escape routes to outsiders.

In December 2013, the university authorities decided to check identity cards of students when they enter the campus through the main gate on National Highway No. 5.

However, the key decision remains to be implemented.

"Only when a major violence breaks out in the city, security guards and the police deployed at the main entrance carry out a check on those coming into the campus. Once, normalcy is restored, the level of alertness is dropped," said a student.

Adding to the crisis, the university authorities are yet to take a decision on removing non-students from the campus.

Their presence has been at the root of several incidents of campus violence.

Though the authorities are aware about the presence of outsiders in several hostels, the matter is often brushed under the carpet because of the interference of political parties.

Vice-chancellor of the university Ashok Das said the huge size of the campus was a major concern for the management.

"The boundary walls are often damaged by those living on its other side. Despite this, we have been trying our best to curb entry of outsiders into the campus. We have started checking identity cards of those entering the varsity. Besides, we have decided to issue identity cards to the family members of the university employees," he said.