Patna College student injured in hostellers’ clash

PATNA: A first year Bachelor of mass communication student got head injuries in a clash between two groups of Patna College students on Saturday. Five low-intensity blasts were heard near the administrative block of the college, but the police dismissed them as the sound of breaking tubelights.
Inmates of Iqbal and Nadvi hostels of the college joined forces in the fight against the inmates of Minto and Jackson hostels of the college, who allegedly thrashed Azad, an inmate of Iqbal hostel.No arrest has been made and the situation is under control. Heavy deployment of cops has been made on the college campus.
Police sources said the quarrel started when Azad wanted a seat of his choice in classroom but was rebuked by four of his seniors - Aditya, Vijay, Santosh and Ujjwal. It soon resulted in a clash between two groups of hostellers and Azad received head injuries. He was taken to Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) and discharged later after medical assistance.
Patna SSP Jitender Rana conducted raids in the said hostels and seized dozens of tubelights. He said no bombs were found, but did not rule out the possibility of use of ‘sutli’ bombs in the incident. The blasts occurred around 11.30am, according to Chotu, a youth who works at a nearby tea stall.
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Attributing the incident to ‘gross negligence’ on the part of district administration, Patna College principal N K Chaudhary claimed the college had in July last informed it about unauthorized occupation of hostel rooms as no allotments have not been done for the current academic session. He said teachers are academics and not hired to maintain law and order.
Patna DM Abhay Kumar Singh, describing the incident as an internal matter of the college, said the district administration would extend its support as and when needed by the college for the removal of unauthorized hostellers.