A section of students of Presidency University confined vice-chancellor Anuradha Lohia in her office till at least midnight on Monday over alleged delay in the repair of wards 3, 4 and 5 of Eden Hindu Hostel.

The gherao started at 1.30pm. The protesting students, including boarders of the hostel, alleged that Lohia had refused to say when the wards would be ready for stay.

“We have been holding an indefinite sit-in since January 21 within and outside the office of the dean of students over this issue.... As the three wards are not yet ready, many students have put up in rented accommodation. Since VC Lohia could not give any satisfactory reply today, we started the gherao,” said Debabrata Mandal, one of the protesting students.

“The VC informed the students that the request for additional funds for the repairs is under active consideration of the state government. Work will start once the university gets the money,” a Presidency official said.

Wards 1, 2 and 6 of the hostel are functional.