A late-night altercation between students and university authorities at Banaras Hindu University (BHU) in Varanasi escalated into a violent confrontation, necessitating a significant police intervention to restore order on Tuesday midnight.
Sequence of Events: From Accident to Altercation
The incident reportedly began when a car struck an inmate of Birla C Hostel near Rajaram Hostel around midnight. In response, a group of students from Birla C Hostel proceeded to the proctorial board office to lodge a formal complaint regarding the accident.
However, the situation quickly deteriorated when an argument broke out between the students and the security personnel of the proctorial board. The verbal spat soon turned physical, escalating to brick-batting and stone pelting between the two groups.
Police and PAC Mobilization to Control Campus
Seeing the situation spiraling out of control, the BHU administration promptly called the local police for assistance. A heavy police force from the Lanka police station, along with personnel from the Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC), entered the university campus under the Lanka police station's jurisdiction.
To manage the volatile scenario, police from five different stations were mobilized. The authorities drove the students back towards their hostels and completely sealed the hostel road to prevent further movement and congregation.
Aftermath and Official Statements
After over two hours of high-tension drama, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Bhelupur, Gaurav Kumar, confirmed that the situation had been brought under control. The proctorial board filed a formal complaint with the police, leading to the handover of two individuals: Ankit Pal and Ankit Singh.
Lanka police station in-charge Rajkumar Sharma provided details of the complaint on Wednesday. Several people sustained minor injuries in the clash, including students, proctorial board personnel, and policemen. Police are also investigating the role of Ankit Pal, who has been apprehended by the police in the past.
The police and PAC personnel remained deployed on the hostel road, with officials closely monitoring the campus to ensure no further unrest.
