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Patna: Following the shameful incident in which a gang of ‘students’ poured petrol on a professor and made a bid to set him on fire for allegedly ‘hurting the sentiments’ of the BJP by posting adverse remarks on the late Atal Bihari Vajpayee on the social media, The Mahatma Gandhi Central University (MGCU), Motihari, will remain closed indefinitely beginning Monday,  because of the ‘prevailing tension’ on the campus. Another angle has emerged, with allegations that a vice-chancellor instigated the students to beat up the professor.

University vice-chancellor (VC) Arvind Agarwal, exercising his powers under Central University Act 2009, has decided to shut down the university indefinitely beginning August 20, as there is a threat to students, teaching and the non-teaching staff. “We have decided to close the university indefinitely, as we fear there will be counter-violence on the campus.”

Media now reports that the university administration took the decision in the wake of Friday’s incident (Aug 17), when Sanjay Kumar, an assistant professor in the sociology department, was beaten up by some youths on alleged instructions from the varsity administration. Sanjay, who is undergoing treatment at Patna Medical College and Hospital, said he was attacked while giving tuition at his Azad Nagar rented house.

“The attackers tried to pour petrol on me and threatened to teach me a lesson for speaking against VC Arvind Agarwal, associate professor Pavnesh Kumar and others. The attackers were also raising slogans about a comment I made on social media on former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee following his death.”

Sanjay’s colleague at the university, Mritunjay Kumar, said: “My friend Sanjay’s condition is not good. The last time any doctor visited here was at 3.30pm on Saturday. No doctor has visited patients since.” A local English daily reports that when they asked the patient’s attendants for his injury report, they declined to provide it saying they have to shift the patient to another hospital.

  Bihar, education