Hamirpur, August 26
The local National Institute of Technology, known as Regional Engineering College has been closed for indefinite period following incidents of stone throwing, burning of government property and damage to the vehicles of the faculty members last night. The state government has suspended Chief Warden, P.K. Sood, an official spokesman said.
Three scooters and 12 cars were damaged and office of the Institute ransacked by a mob last night. All this took place in the presence of police personnel on duty there on director’s call.
Damage to cars of the faculty members took palce only 50 yards away from the official residence of the district police chief.
The Institute’s authorities have asked the students to vacate hostels and the girls have already left for their places by the mode of transport made available to them.
The students have, however, refused to leave the hostels and the situation was still tense.
The students allegedly turned violent following the beating up of four students by the Chief Warden, Mr P.K. Sood and three other faculty members on Sunday. The students alleged that the Chief Warden beat up the students with shoes.
Mr Sood however has denied allegations of the students. He said that he had summoned the students of third year allegedly fir misbehaving with the students of second year. He said he did not beat up any student.
Braving heavy rains, the agitating students blocked traffic at the College chowk for more than two hours today. They raised slogans against Mr P.K. Sood and other teachers and demanded suspension of Mr Sood.
They called off their dharna and lifted the traffic blockade when the authorities announced that Mr Sood had been suspended.
Suspension followed after talks between the students and the former students of the college, who later on talked with the Chief Minister, Prem Kumar Dhumal on phone, narrated the whole incident to the Chief Minister who took the decision to suspend Mr Sood.
The students left for their hostels after calling off the dharna and lifting the road bolckade. They raised slogans in favour of their demands and against Mr P.K. Sood.
Dr S.K. Bhowmick, Acting Director of the Institute, said that the Institute stood closed. It would open only after the situation became normal.
He refused to disclose the action to be taken against the erring students, who damaged government and private property as against Mr P.K. Sood for allegedly beating up four students.
Dr Bhowmick said last night’s incident was shocking. Such incident had not taken place in the institute since it’s opening as REC, Hamirpur, in year 1986.
Dr Bhowmick said that students were restive last night and they refused even to listen to him. He said that the loss to the Institute’s property being assessed and it would be communicated to the Ministry of Human Resource and the Himachal Pradesh government.
On a visit to the Institute and various hotels by Hamirpur-based journalists that windowpanes and
glasses of most of buildings were broken. The workshop where Mr P.K. Sood was working completely ransacked and his office is burnt various goods were seen littered, here and there employees of the institute were standing outside offices/workshops and classrooms waiting for the orders from their superiors.
The signboard of the Administrative Block of the Institute was also damaged and holes were seen in the Glow signboard of the institute.
Heavy police bandobast was seen inside and outside the Institute and the police team was led by Mr Rajendra Mohan, SP and assisted by ASP and DSP, Hamirpur and Barsar. They were armed with guns and teargas shell guns.
On other hand, teachers of the Institute have
decided not to take attend the classes in protest against the suspension of Mr, P.K. Sood. They have also demanded strong action against the students who ransacked offices and damaged cars and other vehicles denounced the last night incident and added that the authorities failed to protect them. One of them, said that it was shocking that vehicles were damaged in the presence of the police.
Meanwhile Himachal Chief Minister, Prem Kumar Dhumal has taken a serious note of the incident in the institute today and yesterday. He has sought a complete report from the Hamirpur district administration and the NIT authorities.
There are reports that the Chief Minister had talks with his aides at Hamirpur on phone and details of the incidents. Talking to this reporter on phone from Shimla Prof Dhumal said that he would ensure that there was no law and order situation on the campus and teaching resumed . He said the incident would not be allowed to recur and efforts made to maintain cordial relations between the teachers and students.
The institute falls in the Bamsan Assembly segment of the district being represented by the Chief Minister in the state Assembly.
There are indications that the Chief Minister may visit the NIT, Hamirpur soon, holds talks with the teachers and students on their demands/problems being faced by them.
