Caste violence prompts Bihar to close SC/ST hostels

Patna Superintendent of Police Jayant Kant said: “We have arrested eight students and booked them under the SC/ST Act besides the IPC provisions for attacking students at the Ambedkar hostel.” He said that though there could be some immediate reasons such as water and power connections for such incidents, there’s a need to find a long-term solution to the problem.

Baneshwar Kumar, who has recently completed his post graduation and stays in the Ambedkar hostel, alleged that Saidpur hostel students had beaten up three students of Ambedkar hotel “without any provocation”.

“Before the Saraswati puja every year, upper caste students create an atmosphere of fear by firing in the air, exploding crude bombs, and using abusive language against us. Whenever Saidpur hostel students want to bully us, they disconnect our water and power connections,” he said, adding that some students had shouted “Ranbir Sena zindabad” while attacking the Ambedkar hostel on January 29.