Bhubaneswar, Sept.17: Police clamped prohibitory orders at the main entrance of Utkal University under Section 144 of Criminal Procedure Code following a series of low-intensity crude bomb explosions on the campus this evening.

The campus is tense despite deployment of five platoons of police personnel.

The university campus witnessed violence late on yesterday night following the filing of nominations for the students' union polls that is scheduled to take place on September 23. A group of outsiders have allegedly assaulted a few students from a particular group and also damaged few motorcycles.

Following the incident, a large number of police personnel was deployed at several places on the campus that were being used as meeting points by various students' organisations.

However, despite the heavy police deployment, trouble-mongers kept on hurling low-intensity crude bombs at places such as the women's hostel, the office of the vice-chancellor and a men's hostel. Two groups of students also scuffled with each other in front of the main entrance of the university. Senior police officers, including police commissioner Y.B. Khurania, rushed to the spot following the explosions.

The students alleged that few outsiders had entered the campus to disturb the poll process and eventually cancel the elections. 'The private security guards have been allowing people with valid identity cards. But there are several portions of the varsity's boundary wall that lie damaged. The outsiders are entering the campus through such areas,' said a student.

The pre-poll violence also forced several students staying at hostels to leave the campus. The university so far has witnessed a peaceful poll process until Saturday late night. The three major students' organisations today alleged each other of resorting to violence apprehending loss in the election. The final list of candidates contesting for various posts in students' union will be notified by respective colleges on Monday.

'Five platoons of police have been deployed on the campus to prevent any untoward incident. Our personnel have been deployed at various hostels and we are keeping a strict vigil on the situation,' said deputy commissioner of police Satyabrata Bhoi.

University authorities convened a meeting with various students' groups to restore normalcy. 'We are in touch with the police and have requested the students' groups to refrain from creating violence. Another meeting will be held on Monday to decide the future course of action,' said adviser of the university's students' union Jayanta Parida.