Seven people were injured after supporters of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad and the Biju Chhatra Janata Dal clashed at Utkal University’s Vani Vihar campus in Bhubaneswar on Wednesday, prompting police intervention and additional security measures ahead of student union elections.
The clash took place during a “Why I am contesting” meeting at the university’s Dikshant Hall. According to Sambad, supporters of both groups threw chairs and attacked one another with sticks bearing banners. The injured included members of both sides.
The incident followed separate processions by ABVP-backed and BCJD-backed candidates and their supporters. The ABVP group reportedly left from the Central Canteen at around 11am and proceeded towards the meeting venue. The BCJD-backed candidates and supporters later reached the same location in a procession.
Tensions reportedly escalated at the entrance to Dikshant Hall, where members of the two groups exchanged words before engaging in a physical altercation. The confrontation continued despite the presence of police. Faculty members and other staff on the stage were reported to have watched as the situation disrupted the hall and damaged the arrangements made for the event.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Vivek Saravana M. reached the campus and directed non-students to leave the premises. Police Commissioner Suresh Devdatta Singh also visited the location. The police attempted to separate the groups and restore order, while members of the student Biju Janata Dal alleged that the police were supporting one side and staged a protest.
Police took about two hours to remove non-students from the hall. The meeting eventually began at around 1.30pm, according to the report. The presence of non-students at a campus political event emerged as a central security concern during the police response.
The confrontation came a day before voting for the student union elections. Following the incident, police and university authorities held a meeting to review security arrangements. Police personnel also conducted a flag march on campuses as part of the preparations for polling.
The university administration and police have been discussing stronger security at Vani Vihar. The reported measures include checks by security personnel at entry points and renewed attention to a proposal to establish a police outpost on or near the campus. The report did not state whether any arrests or formal criminal cases had been registered in connection with the clash.
The immediate administrative focus remains on preventing further disruption during polling and ensuring that access to the campus is controlled. The next formal milestone is the student union election scheduled for Thursday, when the strengthened security arrangements are expected to be tested.
