BHUBANESWAR: Many educational institutions in Odisha have witnessed unrest, disruptions of academic activities, and shutdowns ahead of the student union elections scheduled to be held on October 15, 2026, after an eight-year hiatus.
However, what was intended to be a restoration of the democratic process on campuses has turned into a volatile battleground of misconduct, factional clashes, and security threats.
Blasts shock Banki Autonomous College
Tension prevailed on Banki Autonomous College in Cuttack district after a seemingly-targeted blast that damaged a portion of the building near the administration block.
A forensic team from Kataka examined the site, collected residue samples, and reviewed CCTV footage as police launched an investigation under relevant legal provisions.
College principal Pramod Kumar Panda confirmed that authorities were notified immediately, and security was heightened to prevent any flare-ups.
The blast in the run-up to the student union elections has left the college administration scrambling to restore order.
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In a similar incident, miscreants hurled crude bombs directly onto Vyasanagar Autonomous College campus in Jajpur district. The authorities cancelled the elections and ordered the campus closed until further notice, forcing hostel residents to immediately vacate the premises.
Vani Vihar on high alert
Utkal University (Vani Vihar) in Bhubaneswar, considered as the nerve centre of Odisha’s student politics, has also seen tensions.
After a late-night campus unrest, the police have tightened security around the campus. Meanwhile, Utkal University administration has dismissed the reported bomb attack on campus as a rumour, even as security measures have been increased.
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It was earlier reported that three crude bombs had been hurled near the Gopabandhu Hostel around midnight, which rattled hostel residents and sparked protests at the university’s main gate.
Election Officer Jagneshwar Dandapat clarified that the alleged bombing was entirely unfounded.
To restore calm and secure the campus, over 250 CCTV cameras have been installed, supplemented by discreetly placed lenses in high-risk zones. Security has been reinforced, with university personnel and local police jointly managing the primary entrance. Additional officers have been deployed to vital corridors, including the boys’ and girls’ hostel lanes, the market complex, Talapadeswari Lane, and Gandhi Shanti Sthal.
Security has been heightened at Nimapada College in Puri district after miscreants set off firecrackers near the gate in late night. Puri SP Prateek Singh deployed two platoons of personnel at every gate, and directed improvements to CCTV coverage and lighting.
Meanwhile, ABVP-backed candidates from Kakatpur Mangala College submitted a memorandum to local police seeking measures to ensure peaceful, violence-free voting free from external interference or overcrowding.
In Pallahara, controversy surrounding Malyagiri College centered on a kidnapping allegation involving independent student union presidential candidate Laxman Munda.
Pallahara police registered a case and began investigating the conflicting accounts as the elections approached.
Polls cancelled after tension
Meanwhile, student union elections were cancelled in many institutions and the campuses were closed indefinitely following tension and disturbances.
The Khariar (Autonomous) College in Nuapada district have cancelled the election and closed the institution sine die in view of tensions on the campus.
The student election was cancelled in Gop College following reports of disorder and tension on campus. The principal announced closure of the college sine die after an order from the Puri Sub-Collector.
Similarly, Deogarh Degree College was also closed indefinitely after tension followed the rejection of a presidential candidate’s nomination.
According to information from Kendrapada, the student union election at UK Mahavir College in Pattamundai was also cancelled and the institution closed sine die following
The state government previously issued detailed guidelines, ordering institutes to enforce the strict recommendations of the Lyngdoh Committee to guarantee violence-free polling. Odisha Director General of Police (DGP) Vinaytosh Mishra instructed district superintendents to forcefully isolate campuses from non-student political heavyweights.