Berhampur, Sept. 14: Agitating MKCG Medical College and Hospital students today locked up the college building gate here leaving faculty members, non-teaching staff and even principal-cum-dean A. K. Dandpat unable to attend duty.

Most of the faculty members and non-teaching staff had to stand outside the college building till late afternoon. The MBBS students have called for an indefinite class boycott following the transfer of two paediatric department faculty members including the head of the department Narendra Nath Soren to Sishu Bhavan in Cuttack. They are demanding the immediate cancellation of the transfers till the final MBBS examination.

The agitating students refused to call off the boycott after sub-collector Nikhil Pavan Kalyan requested them to attend restore normalcy and return to class.

"The sub-collector termed our agitation improper. But, we still insist on our demand. The transfer of the faculty members will have an adverse impact on our careers. We are preparing for the final examination in April next year," said president of MBBS students' union Rajaram Swain.

"He has requested us to come to his office and discuss the issue. We will definitely discuss it with him and try to convince him," said Swain.

Niranjan Mahanty and Prabhakar Mishra, who were transferred to MKCG from Sishu Bhavan, had come to join duty. But, they were forced to go back after the students refused to let them in.

"We came here to join our new posting. We did not know about the boycott. As they did not let us enter, we now leave it to the principal to decide on our matter," said Dr Mahanty.

The principal said that he had already spoken to the government and the district administration about the issue. However, he said the head of paediatric department Soren and associate professor Shantisena Mishra were yet to be relieved.