Clash between GIMS Students, Guards over Smoking: 22 Medicos Injured, 4 Arrested among others
Noida: In a major clash that erupted between the medical students of the Government Institute of Medical Sciences (GIMS) and the private security guards of Gautam Buddha University (GBU) complex in Greater Noida, 22 students got injured and four of them suffered severe fractures.
While police detained 33 people on the spot in the aftermath of the episode, fifteen were arrested after the clash. Among them are 11 guards of Ironman Security Services and four first-year MBBS students of the Government Institute of Medical Sciences (GIMS), officials informed PTI on Monday.
The clash took place late Sunday evening between private security guards of Iron Man Security Services and medical students residing at a hostel in the state-run GBU complex. Police have lodged two FIRs – one on the basis of a complaint by the security guards’ agency and the other by GIMS, an official said.
The clash broke out after a security guard allegedly objected to some students smoking at the Munshi Premchand Hostel on the university campus, a police spokesperson told PTI.
“An argument broke out between the two sides around 10.30 pm on Sunday,” the official said. The incident took place in the Ecotech 1 police station area and is being investigated by senior officials, the spokesperson said, adding more people could be taken into custody.
"After the argument, the guards returned with sticks," Sarita Malik, SHO of Ecotech-1 police station informed TOI.
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A purported video clip of the clash surfaced on social media, showing some stick-wielding individuals smashing two-wheelers and four-wheelers parked outside the hostel, whose inmates can be heard hurling expletives. Another video that started circulating on social media, showed at least two men in civilian clothes, holding wooden sticks and trying to kick down a door.
On Monday afternoon, GIMS held a press conference where its senior management said 22 students suffered injuries in the clash and four of them were hospitalised.
“Dr Manvendra Vaidya, the warden of GIMS, reached the hostel along with security staff of GIMS when alerted about the episode and tried to pacify both sides. However, the security guards of GBU did not listen to anyone and thrashed GIMS students inside the hostel and damaged vehicles,” the hospital said in a statement.
While commenting on the matter, the Registrar of GBU Vishwas Tripathi informed the Times of India that the guards were on a routine round and one of the guards located three students in an intoxicated condition outside the cricket stadium. "After they objected, one of the three students charged at a guard. Then they called 30-40 more students from the hostel. One guard locked himself in the washroom of the stadium, and as the situation escalated, more guards were called in," he informed.
After getting the news of the standoff, the hostel warden reached the campus accompanies by the guards from the medical college. Speaking about this, Brig (retd) Dr Rakesh Gupta, GIMS director told the daily, "Our senior staff members tried to control the situation, but GBU guards entered the hostel and assaulted our students. In the clash, the car of the hostel warden and other vehicles were also damaged. Four of our students who suffered fractures have been admitted to GIMS for treatment, and another 18 students have minor injuries."
Meanwhile, the University has set up three committees to probe the issue and it will hold discussions in this regard with the GIMS administration, informed the GBU registrar.
Admitting that matter is crucial as it has raised security concerns, GBU registrar Tripathi informed, "Three high-level committees have been set up at GBU. Action will be taken against those found guilty. We will also discuss the matter with the GIMS administration."
Police informed TOI that the duty in-charge of the security agency, several unidentified security guards, and students have been booked in the two cases.
The FIR against the security personnel includes charges of rioting, unlawful assembly, assault, trespassing, intentional insult and criminal intimidation, a local police official said.
"The FIRs have been registered under IPC sections 147 (rioting), 148 (rioting with deadly weapon, 149 (unlawful assembly), 352 (assault), 442 (house tress-pass), 504 (intentional insult), 503 (criminal intimidation), and provisions of the Criminal Law Amendment Act," the SHO said.
Protest by GIMS Students:
Protesting against the incident, around 250 students of the institute have demanded to the authorities for shifting their hostel out of the GBU campus. Mentioning that they don't feel safe on GBU campus, a student referred to the April 2022 scuffle between the students and added on the condition of anonymity, "The guards used foul language as well. Earlier too, there was a clash between GBU and GIMS students over songs being played at the hostel."
"We want our own hostel within the GIMS campus," another student added.
Informing that none of the students returned to the hostel since after the clash, a third-year MBBS student told the daily, "We don't want to go back. We have not received any communication from the GIMS administration so far. We will continue to protest till a solution is found."
When asked about the demands of the students of shifting their hostel, GBU vice-chancellor Ravindra Kumar Sinha said that "both the parties would benefit" if that was to happen as "there won't be further clashes".
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