Another ugly clash broke out on the campus of North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU) here on Monday evening that left several students injured.
An FIR filed with police alleges that a gang of 40-50 students residing in other hostels attacked residents of the Rangirra Hostel, specifically targetting non-Khasis.
However, in a press release today, NEHU authorities denied that there was a communal angle to the incident, which is not the first to have occurred on the campus this year.
“This incident, which involved a verbal altercation and physical confrontation among students residing in the hostel, was related to disagreements regarding the rules and regulations governing hostel life,” the release said. “It is essential to clarify that the incident had no links to communal issues, as erroneously reported on various social media platforms.”
The violence reportedly included the pelting of stones and damage was caused to windshields and windows of several cars around the hostel. The situation was soon brought under control after the arrival of police personnel.
Today morning a high-level meeting was attended by the Vice-Chancellor, Registrar, Dean of Student Welfare and other NEHU officials. The purpose of the meeting was to thoroughly discuss the matter and ensure that due disciplinary actions are taken in accordance with the rules and regulations of the university.
NEHU, the release added, remains committed to upholding a safe and inclusive environment for all students, “and any breaches of conduct will be addressed with utmost seriousness and adherence to established protocols.”
It reiterated that the incident was not communal and requested students, parents, staff and the public to refrain from relying on unverified information.
It may be mentioned that even on August 13 a NEHU student filed an FIR with police claiming to have been assaulted by two individuals in one of the university’s hostels.
The incident took place the evening before when the two assailants barged into the hostel room and confronted the complainant’s roommate before turning on him. The assault only ended after other hostellers intervened.
On this particular incident, NEHU stated it was a minor altercation between students on shifting of hostel room without permission or intimation to the authorities.
