BHU calm after night-long clashes between student groups

The situation is under control after night-long clashes between two student groups in Banaras Hindu University (BHU) in Varanasi -- the parliamentary constituency of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, police said on Wednesday.

The clashes erupted after midnight between the students residing in Lal Bahadur Shastri Hostel and Birla Hostel.

Many vehicles on the university campus were torched and the warring students pelted stones at each other and later also on the police personnel who were called in to disperse the unruly mob.

The situation could only be controlled in the morning, but by then scores of students were injured.

"The situation is under control now," Shailesh Mishra, PRO to the Varanasi SSP, told IANS.

A district official, however, blamed the BHU authorities for the violence and pointed out that although police reinforcements had reached there, they had to wait outside the Singhdwar due to the delay in permission by the varsity officials to enter the premises.

The rioting sparked off reportedly after a murderous attack on a student, Ashutosh Maurya, outside the Hindi department.

--IANS

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