Seven students of the state-run Parala Maharaja Engineering College in Odisha’s Berhampur were expelled from their hostel for allegedly cooking beef, sources said. With tensions prevailing over the incident, a platoon of police personnel were deployed near the college. The Dean of Students’ Welfare issued a notification on Thursday, saying the boarders were expelled for their involvement in “restricted activities” that violated the “rules and code of conduct of Hall of Residence”. There was, however, no official comment on what these “restricted activities” were. Sources said a fine of Rs 2,000 was also imposed on one of the expelled students. According to sources, the expelled students were allegedly involved in the cooking of beef in the premises of the hostel on Wednesday night. After this, another group of boarders complained to the Dean regarding the incident. “As a diverse community, we understand the importance of respecting the values and beliefs of all students. This incident (the alleged cooking of beef) has caused unrest and discomfort, leading to tense atmosphere. I kindly request strict action to be taken against the boarders involved in the incident,” read the complaint. A group of Bajrang Dal and Vishva Hindu Parishad workers also visited the college and met the principal, demanding strict action against the students. “Based on the complaint from a group of boarders, the college authorities conducted an inquiry into the allegations. Certain activities are restricted within the college premises, which the boarders had done. They were expelled based on the findings of the inquiry,” said a college source. The boarders have since left the campus, sources said.
