Patna erupts in violence after student’s brutal murder at law college

PATNA: Violence erupted on the streets of the state capital on Tuesday, a day after the daylight killing of a 22-year-old student, Harsh Raj, when he had gone to take his examination at the Law College under Patna university on Monday.

Hundreds of students from nearby localities of Patna University came out on the streets, indulged in vandalism and arson. They disrupted vehicular traffic on the busy Ashok Raj Path for several hours since morning.

The police resorted to baton charge to disperse the rampaging mob.

Tension has gripped the Patna university campus and its vicinity in the wake of fresh violence on Tuesday. More incidents of clashes among students cannot be ruled out. Additional police force has been deployed to prevent any untoward incident. Patrolling in the vicinity of the university has also been intensified.

On Monday, a group of 10-15 masked youth surrounded Harsh Raj near the parking lot of the Law College located near Patna NIT and attacked him with sticks, iron rods and bricks. His repeated pleas to spare him, however, fell on deaf ears.

The assailants who had covered their faces with ‘gumchhas’ (towels) disappeared from the scene of crime only when Harsh Raj, a student of BA Professional English (Hons) at B N College, fell unconscious. The attack occurred around 12.45 pm on Monday.

The bystanders could not muster courage to intervene as they apprehended threat to their lives from the assailants.

Harsh Raj was rushed to Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) where the doctors declared him dead on arrival.

Subsequently, police informed the close relatives of Harsh Raj about his death.