Two groups clash at NIT, authorities suspend 13 students

Protesting students back to their dorms

Eastern Mirror Desk Dimapur, Oct. 9: A reported clash between the first-year Naga students and non-Naga students at the National Institute of Technology (NIT), in Chumukedima on October 5 had left 13 students suspended. According to one of the 3rd year students (of Naga origin), due to some ‘work designation issue on Oct. 5, ‘the two groups’ had a clash where there was some "push and shove" inside the hostel room of one of the non-Naga first-year students. "This clash between the local and non-local students (sic) of NIT has been going on for a while and maybe due to the fourth-year students provoking the first year students, it is possible that a peaceful result could not be brought," the student said. The student also informed that after trying to settle the situation amongst themselves, the non-locals (sic) went ahead and called for a protest the next day, where they even "slept outdoors during the night" demanding that central security forces be provided inside the campus. The student also reported that the non-locals (sic) threatened to leave the campus if the demand was not met. The registrar of NIT, Binod Doley told Eastern Mirror that the situation was under control and ‘11 local and 2 non-local’ students have been suspended in this matter. "The disciplinary committee came and 11 locals have got a corrective action of academic suspension for one week including hostel whereas one non-local got severe warning and other one semester restigation (sic) from hostel," Doley informed. When asked if there was a demand from the “non-locals” for a central security force to be present at the campus, Doley admitted that the demand was there. But the students were informed that it was impossible. "This is not a matter of any central government Acts such as the 144 CrPC (sic) to have a central security force present in the campus," Doley maintained adding that the institute has its own private security force manning the campus. Doley informed that all the students, who were protesting, have returned to their respective dorms and hostels. "Everything has been settled and there is nothing to worry about, this was just a small dispute between classmates which left nothing more than (a) scratch on one student," he claimed. A fourth-year student (non-Naga) was also contacted and he informed that all issues have been "settled and restored" by the administration and none of them would be leaving the campus. It was informed that there are approximately 600 students at NIT, out of which around 300 are non-Nagas, mostly hailing from north India.