College students in Indore expelled over keeping 150 staff “hostage”

The college students kept the staff hostage, over facing rejection for a Holi event.

An incident occurred at Indore’s Government Holkar Science College, where four students “leaders” were suspended for holding 150 staff “hostage” over facing rejection for a Holi event. These students were later suspended for allegedly holding the staff hostage after getting denied to celebrate a Holi programme.

Indore College denied permission to attend the Holi event.

The students at the Government Holkar Science College, Madhya Pradesh, had planned to organise the “Holkar Ka Holi Fest” on March 7, featuring DJ performances and a “rain dance,” according to news agency PTI. A civil services examination co-sponsored the event, demanding an entry fee ₹150. The college administration denied permission for the event, but the students ignored it and pasted posters on the campus about the event, reported PTI. An official cited an administration’s investigative report, “The students had put up posters on February 23, announcing a Holi event at the college on March 7 without the principal’s permission. These posters were removed on the instructions of the college head.”

Students at an Indore College held 150 staff hostage.

After permission was denied to organise the Holi event, students organised a protest against the administration’s decision to remove the posters. On February 24, the door of the college’s Yashwant Hall was closed from the outside, and its power supply was also cut off, according to the report. Officials said that 150 staff members’ meeting was underway when the incident happened, and people, including female professors, were trapped for around 30 minutes due to heavy screaming and heckling by the students.

Anamika Jain, the College’s principal, said an investigation conducted by the district administration found four students guilty of “gross indiscipline.” She added that the investigation report termed this act serious indiscipline and recommended strict action against the four student leaders. Thus, all four were expelled and instructed to collect their transfer certificates.