BIT Sindri orders first-year students to vacate hostel after violent clash with seniors

Dhanbad, May 13 (IANS) Following a violent clash between two groups of students late Monday night, the administration of BIT Sindri -- one of Jharkhand’s most prestigious engineering institutes -- has ordered all first-year students to vacate their hostels with immediate effect.

By Tuesday afternoon, all first-year engineering students had left the hostel and returned to their homes.

The decision comes in the wake of rising tensions on campus after a dispute between first-year and third-year students snowballed into a physical confrontation.

Institute Director Pankaj Rai said an internal probe has been launched, and assured that strict action will be taken against those found guilty.

A separate police investigation is also underway. CCTV footage from the campus has been collected, and efforts are on to identify all students involved in the altercation.

Dr Rai added that with summer vacations approaching and internships scheduled for June-July, the decision to vacate the hostel was also aimed at allowing first-year students to focus on their upcoming training and avoid further escalation of the situation.

The dispute reportedly began on Monday evening when a first-year student, allegedly accompanied by an outsider, had an altercation with a third-year student.

According to sources, the first-year student physically assaulted the senior, triggering outrage among third-year students.

Around 11 p.m., a group of senior students reportedly arrived at the first-year hostel in about a dozen vehicles and launched a retaliatory attack, injuring at least three students.

The violence prompted swift action from the institute’s top brass.

Director Dr Pankaj Rai, Career Development Centre Chairman Dr Ghanshyam, Hostel Superintendent Dr R.K. Verma, Dr Prashant Kumar, as well as wardens and senior faculty members, rushed to the scene. Local police also arrived shortly after being informed.

Established in 1949, BIT Sindri is the first government engineering college of undivided Bihar and enjoys a reputation for academic excellence across the country.

--IANS

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