Protest outside Malgodown police station after attack on a student of Madhusudan Law College in Cuttack. Picture by Badrika Nath Das

Cuttack, Feb. 20: Tension prevailed at the Madhusudan Law College after a student was allegedly assaulted by some of his peers and outsiders today.

The first-year student Rajiv Kumar was attacked when he was returning from his semester examination at around 10.30am. The attack is said to be the fallout of an ongoing dispute between two student groups over collection of donation for the Saraswati Puja, which was held on February 15.

“I was beaten up by a few third-year students and outsiders. They were armed with iron rods and hockey sticks. They also took away my mobile phone and a gold chain,” said Kumar.

Students said that some of their peers had come to the college hostel at Jobra on February 6 and demanded Rs 100 each for organising the puja on the campus. Later, a group of outsiders had assaulted Sishir Mallick, another second-year student, who had sustained minor injuries in the attack.

“More than six outsiders had also come to collect donations and they attacked us when we refused to pay,” said Shivani Shankar Das, a second-year student.

Madhusudan Law College Principal N.C. Patnaik said steps were being taken to restore normality on campus.