Bhubaneswar, Sept. 19: An engineering college on the outskirts of the city was closed indefinitely today following a ragging related clash that left 12 students, mostly girls, injured.

The injured students have been admitted to a private hospital. The students tried to block National Highway-5 following the incident.

Third-year girl students of the college alleged that seniors ragged them in the hostel on Saturday night. Today, they lodged a complaint with the college management. “The seniors used foul language. They humiliated us before our juniors and threatened us with dire consequences if we complained to the authorities,” said Madhusmita, one of the girls. She added the management did not take any steps, and police did not receive their complaint.

Around 150 third-year students staged a protest on the college campus. The students alleged that the police wanted the complaints to be forwarded to them through the college management, but the college authorities refused.

“While we were peacefully agitating, our seniors attacked us with iron rods and sticks. There were also some outsiders among the attackers. In the stampede, several students were injured and later a clash between the two groups took place,” said another student, Dev of third year. Following the clash, tension prevailed on the campus the entire day.

The college authorities declared the institution closed indefinitely. Later, the aggrieved students tried to block National Highway-5 demanding stern action against the erring fourth-year students but were prevented by the police. Despite several attempts, the college authorities could not be contacted for their comments. They did not even allow mediapersons to enter the campus.

The police, however, said that no complaint with regard to the incident had been lodged with them. The students vacated the hostels in the afternoon.

In another incident, pre-election violence erupted on Ekamra college campus in Old Town today for the second time in the past week. Tension gripped the campus, as two groups of students clashed resulting in injuries to one student.

The college authorities said that following a clash on September 12 on the college campus in which three students sustained injuries the college was suspended till September 17. After the college reopened today, the students again clashed following which police had to be deployed on campus and classes were suspended for the day.

Niranjan Padhi, advisor to the students’ union of the college, said that following the clash on last Monday the authorities intimated the government about the campus situation and asked for the college election to be cancelled this year.

“We are keeping a watch on the situation and if things continue this way, the government may cancel the election,” said Padhi.