Bhubaneswar, Sept. 2: Campus violence across colleges and universities in the state have left the authorities jittery ahead of the students' union elections, which are likely to be held in October.

While there is still a month left before the campuses go to polls, but city colleges are already on the boil with frequent clashes taking place between various student groups. At least four incidents of campus violence have been reported in the past two weeks and the cops plan to convene a meeting with college authorities on the issue.

Speaking about the recent spurt in violence on college and university campuses, deputy commissioner of police Satyabrata Bhoi said: "We will shortly convene a meeting with college authorities and devise a plan to curb outsiders' entry into campuses."

Earlier in August, two of the state's biggest campuses, including BJB Autonomous College and Utkal University, witnessed student unrest.

While two groups of students clashed at Utkal University, the students of BJB Autonomous College locked the main gate alleging that outsiders were entering the campus. The cops arrested one college student for his involvement in the clash on August 29.

"Although the university claims to have a mechanism to conduct security checks and verify identity cards before entry, none of these are true. The gates are open to anyone and everyone," said Suratna Rath, a student of BJB Autonomous College.

While few students blamed it on gatecrash by outsiders ahead of the polls, others alleged that a section of students were deliberately trying to create unrest so that the authorities would be forced to cancel elections.

"There are some who know that they will not win. They have, therefore, decided to create unrest," said Utkal University student Mukti Sahoo.

"Outsiders have been allowed to enter the campus from day one. Surprisingly, the matter is being raised just before the elections. Once the polls are over, thing are back to square one," he added.

Student leaders admitted that campus violence increased on certain days, such as the day of filing nomination papers.

Allegations of students being threatened and not allowed to file nomination papers are also common. Although many of these cases go unreported, sources said goons are hired to terrorise opposition candidates or supporters with phone calls and sometimes, the use of weapons.

While the police are already keeping a watch on volatile campuses in order to stop any untoward incidents, the authorities said they were devising a plan to curb outsiders' entry and create law and order situation on campus. Efforts are also on to install CCTV cameras.

"We will take action against those fomenting trouble on campuses," said BJB Autonomous College principal Md Nawaz Hassan.

He also added that as usual the college would hold the elections according to the provisions of the Lyngdoh Commission guidelines.