Tripura: ICFAI University on boil after clash between students

Agartala: Nine students of ICFAI University in Agartala were rusticated from the boy’s hostel on Tuesday following their alleged involvement in a group clash on Monday night.

According to sources, a boarder of the girl’s hostel of the university was allegedly misbehaved by a local student around 11 pm on Monday night. She then informed this to some of the students, who later protested against the incident. The student responsible for taunting was allegedly “manhandled”.

The boy, who misbehaved with the girl, was from Tripura while those protested were from Manipur, Nagaland, Assam, and Meghalaya. After a war of words between the two groups, the local students, also the juniors, gave it a colour of ragging, said the victim.

Another student of ICFAI University, on condition of anonymity, said that a group of students who hail from the other Northeastern states harassed the students of Tripura in the boy’s hostel on Monday night, like other days.

The students were ragging the junior students of the state, which was opposed by them. Having complained about ragging with the authorities concerned, no actions were taken against them. On Monday night, when the students again tried to approach the local boys, it resulted in a clash between two groups, the 20-year-old said.

Meanwhile, chief minister Biplab Kumar Deb spoke with the his counterparts from Manipur, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya over the issue.

While the media tried to enter the campus, the security personnel stopped them. Even the police were stopped from entering, saying it was an internal matter of the university, on Monday night after the clash erupted.

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Later, a notification issued by the ICFAI University said, “With reference to the mishaps occurred in the boys’ hostel at night on August 26, 2019 some students have been found to be responsible for the act. Therefore, the university decided to rusticate them from the hostel till further order.”

However, following the instructions of state education minister Ratan Lal Nath, the rustication was withheld by the university authorities, but the reason behind their rustication was not disclosed.

The in-charge of Lefunga police station, Newton Jamatia, said, “It was an internal matter of the university. A small clash had erupted between two groups, mainly seniors and juniors. Students of Manipur and Tripura had a small clash yesterday late night. However, no one was injured. The situation is under control and the police are investigating the matter.”