A violent clash erupted between two factions of students at the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) in Uttar Pradesh's Varanasi on Thursday, leaving at least one person injured, said the police. The injured student was provided immediate medical treatment and the security was heightened in the area after reports of stone-pelting between the two factions.
According to the police, the clash took place between students of two hostels, Ruia Hostel and Birla Hostel, regarding an incident that happened on Janmashtami (August 16) last year. The students clashed and reportedly even pelted stones at each other, a senior police official said, adding that additional forces have been deployed and the situation is currently under control.
"A large police force immediately arrived at the scene, and the students fled. One student was injured and has been admitted to the trauma centre. In his statement, he named some students who are former students of the university and are residing here illegally," Gaurav Banswal, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) of the Kashi Zone under the Varanasi Police Commissionerate, told news agency ANI.
Probe launched, police monitoring situation
The wounded student, who suffered head injuries, has been identified as Piyush Tiwari. It has been reported that some expelled students, identified as Darshit Pandey, Raunak Mishra, Ankit Pal and Vishwajeet Yadav, had assaulted Tiwari at the Ruia Hostel gate, leading to a chaos, which ultimately led to clashes between the students. Several students of Birla Hostel were involved in the clash and were reportedly carrying sticks and stones.
DCP Banswal stated that the proctorial board is taking further action to identify all those who were involved in the incident. He noted that drones are being used to monitor the situation at the two hostels, particularly the roofs. "The authorities are ensuring that no unauthorised students or former students are residing here illegally," he said.
"The proctorial board is searching each room, and if anyone is found to be residing illegally, they will be removed, and the room will be sealed," he added.
