Cuttack: After cancelling the students’ union election for the ongoing academic year, the authorities of Ravenshaw University here closed the University sine die today and ordered the hostel boarders to vacate their respective hostels with immediate effect.
The sine die closure order came around noon on the day after the Staff Council endorsed a unanimous proposal in view of the prevailing surcharged atmosphere inside the campus. “In view of the ongoing students’ unrest and deteriorating academic atmosphere inside the campus, the University is closed sine die,” said a notification issued by the University registrar Dr Padan Kumar Jena.
The notification further said that the boarders of the boys’ hostels were directed to vacate the hostels before 3 pm today and the inmates of girls’ hostel were asked to vacate their respective hostels before 10 am on Sunday.
“Failing to comply with the order will automatically lead to disciplinary action,” the notification, pasted in all hostel notice boards, said. The notification however, added that all pre-approved programmes of the University will be held as usual. Since the puja vacations were to begin from October 10, the University might think of lifting the order only after the vacations.
The sine die order came as groups of students, protesting against the decision of cancellation of elections, staged dharnas in front of all the entrance gates of the University after locking them. No one from outside was allowed entry into the campus nor were the families inside the campus were allowed to go out.
Raising slogans and burning tyres, the protestors criticized the decision of the University authorities terming it as brutal and oppressive. “The authorities cannot curtail the democratic rights of the students by gag orders,” the strikers said in unison. Even in presence of police, the agitated students were threatening to take law into their hands and refused to relent to fervent appeals from senior police officials.
The varsity authorities after cancelling elections had asked the police to take action against unruly students as per law. The campus is now fortified with deployment of police force while hostel boarders were seen vacating the campus with their bag and baggage.
PTI
