Polytechnic college students demand eviction of squatters

Ranchi: Hundreds of students of the Government Polytechnic College staged protest outside the principal’s office on Thursday against the attack on a student and demanded adequate security arrangement apart from eviction of illegal squatters.
Amanjeet Kumar, a protester and third year mechanical student, “We are living in constant fear a local youths often try to loot us. Even after the boundary wall was constructed, people from adjacent Millat colony have settled inside the campus by constructing makeshift houses and often pick fight with us.”

On Wednesday night, Sudhir Kumar, a final year student was walking towards the main road from his hostel on the college campus when three youths on a bike tried to snatch his mobile phone. When Kumar protested, one of the youths attacked Kumar with knife on his neck grievously injuring him. After hearing the commotion, a few college students who were nearby chased the attackers and nabbed one of them. The attacker was later identified as Md Sameer alias Talim and the students handed over to lower bazar police station. Police then picked up his accomplices Md Kalim alias Sunny and Md Sajid from Pathal Kudwa area of Islam Nagar.

“A case under Section 394 of the IPC has been registered against the three accused for their involvement in loot and attempt on life. We have asked a patrolling party to camp near the college campus for security reasons,” lower bazar police station in-charge Satish Kumar said.

When TOI visited the campus, it was found that around 250 students are accommodated in two hostel blocks on the campus. The college campus is accessible from outside due to the lack of a boundary wall on one side. “Local youths from the area frequently visit the campus and use it as their hangout place. We avoid any kind of interaction with them as no one wants to get into a fight. We have complained to the college management on several occasions but they just don’t care,” claimed Birju Kumar Das, a third year mechanical student and inmate of one of the hostels.

The college’s principal, R K Saha, conceded that squatters have encroached upon the college campus and are living illegally. He also said the education department has transferred a piece of land to the residential colonies. “I have written a letter to Ranchi sub divisional magistrate on Thursday to look into the matter and to evict those who have encroached on the campus area,” Saha said.