MP: Denied Holi celebration, college students take 150 hostage

A college in Madhya Pradesh's Indore has expelled four student leaders after they were found guilty of holding 150 people, including the female principal and professors, hostage for denial of permission to a Holi programme on the campus, its top official said on Friday.

The incident had occurred at the Government Holkar Science College on Monday, following which the district administration had ordered an inquiry.

Principal of the college, Anamika Jain, said the disciplinary committee of the institute has expelled four student leaders in connection with the incident and they have been asked to collect their transfer certificates.

In the investigation conducted by the district administration, all four student leaders were found guilty of gross indiscipline, she said.

Citing the administration's investigation report, officials said, "The students had put up posters on February 23, announcing a Holi event at the college on March 7 without the permission of the principal."

These posters were removed on the instructions of the college head.

According to the report, during a protest led by four student leaders against the removal of the posters, the door of the college's Yashwant Hall was closed from outside and its power supply was also cut off on February 24.

The investigation report termed this act as a serious indiscipline and recommended strict action against the four student leaders.

When the student leaders closed the door of the college's Yashwant Hall from outside, a meeting of about 150 people was going on inside it, officials said.

The principal was also present at this meeting along with professors and other staff of the college, and the people present in the hall were trapped in it for about half-an-hour due to a heavy uproar of the students.

The Holkar Science College was established in 1891 by the then Holkar rulers of Indore.

Some students had planned to organise the 'Holkar Ka Holi Fest' event with an entry fee of Rs 150 on March 7, featuring DJ performances and a 'rain dance', sponsored by a coaching class for civil services examinations.

Even though the college administration denied permission to the event, which was planned a week ahead of Holi, the students went ahead and put up posters on the campus advertising the same.