Bhubaneswar, Sept. 18: Violence continues to erupt on several college campuses across the state ahead of the students' union elections scheduled to take place on September 23.

The Utkal University called off the polls and declared the institution closed indefinitely following a series of low-intensity crude bomb explosions on its campus yesterday.

The university authorities have asked all hostel boarders to vacate their rooms by this evening. The authorities of University Law College also decided not to go ahead with the elections and suspended classes till further notice.

Tension prevailed at the Utkal University this morning after a group of students demonstrated demanding the authorities to conduct the polls. The protesters also ransacked the vice-chancellor's office.

'The university authorities succumbed to the pressure of a few hooligans and outsiders, who hurled explosives with an intention of cancelling the polls. Not a single student indulged in violence on the campus, and we want the university authorities to conduct the polls,' said a protester.

Sources said the university authorities decided to cancel the polls after police apprehended law and order problems on the campus. Four platoons of police are still deployed on the campus.

'Two cases have been registered for the hurling of explosives and creating nuisance near the university campus. The police have arrested an outsider, while further investigation is on to find others involved in hurling of explosives,' said deputy commissioner of police Satyabrata Bhoi.

The university campus witnessed violence late on Saturday night after filing of nominations for the polls. A group of outsiders allegedly assaulted some students and damaged a few motorcycles. The campus remained tense yesterday with several low-intensity crude bombs having been hurled at hostels and the vice-chancellor's office.

Two crude bombs were also hurled at the Maharshi College of Natural Law in Bhubaneswar. The final list of candidates contesting for various posts was declared today despite the bombing.

On Friday, the BJB college authorities cancelled the polls and declared the institute closed indefinitely. The authorities took the decision after the police informed the college authorities about the possibility of campus violence. Some low-intensity bombs were hurled there as well.

Students of the SCS Autonomous College in Puri vandalised college property and clashed with the police today. Puri Town police station inspector-in-charge Uma Shankar Singh suffered minor head injuries in the clash.

Tension gripped the campus after the college authorities rejected the nominations of 19 candidates, including four presidential aspirants, following scrutiny. The police resorted to mild baton-charge to disperse the students.

'We have detained 10 students for the campus violence and are in touch with the college authorities. Adequate police personnel have been deployed on the campus,' said Puri police superintendent Sarthak Sarangi. Two crude bombs were also hurled at the college this evening.

Incidents of student unrest were also reported from the Vikram Deb Autonomous College at Jeypore in Koraput district after rejection of the nomination of several aspirants. The supporters of the aspirants locked the main gate of the college. The police intervened to restore normality.