Magadh University boarders assault teachers, officials

Some Magadh University (MU) boarders including a sizeable number of illegal occupants of the university hostel on Thursday indulged in brazen vandalism on the campus. The hostellers, besides roughing up some teachers and other university officials, also indulged in vandalism and destroyed computer monitors, furniture and other valuables. The violence followed the university administration’s decision to evict the illegal occupants and provide additional facility to genuine hostellers. Magadh UniversityEarlier, the university authorities asked the inmates to vacate the hostel as they planned repair and renovation of the hostels during the coming summer vacation. Some boarders, on Wednesday, requested the vice chancellor, Prof Md Ishtiaq, to exempt them from the eviction order as they had to work on their projects during the vacation. The VC told the boarders that exemption will be only in cases of genuine boarders recommended by the respective HoDs who vouch for students engaged in project work. The illegal occupants entered the scene on Thursday and ransacked the administrative building of the university. The violent boarders roughed up at least two teachers who were engaging classes when the rampaging crowd indulged in vandalism. Confirming the incident, MU Teachers Association president Upendra Verma said a delegation of teachers met the VC to seek protection for the teachers and demand action against the culprits. The teachers would lodge a formal complaint with the VC, said the association chief. On their part, the university authorities are determined to get the hostel freed of illegal occupants. Soon after the Bodh Gaya serial blasts, the security agencies advised the university officials to screen boarders and evict all illegal occupants. The presence of a large number of illegal occupants has also vitiated the academic atmosphere on the campus and the conduct of unauthorized boarders has caused concern to the genuine students, university officials, teachers and non-teaching employees living on the sprawling campus. Several incidents of theft had also been reported from the campus in the recent past. Sources do not rule out possession of contraband weapons by the unauthorized occupants. According to MU PRO Shamshul Islam, the vice chancellor has convened a meeting of senior officials including the dean, students welfare and the wardens to take stock of the situation. Sources say Raj Bhawan and the education department principal secretary Amarjeet Sinha have been informed about the incident. Both the chancellor’s office and the education department asked the university officials not to buckle under the pressure of vandals masquerading as students. When contacted, Gaya SSP Nishant Tiwari said strict vigil was being maintained and wrongdoers will be sternly dealt with. “I am yet to receive a formal complaint from the university authorities in this regard,” said the SSP. Source: EDUCATIONS NEWS