Kathmandu, March 22:

Local student leaders of the All Nepal National Independent Students’ Union-Revolutionary (ANNISU-R) and All Nepal National Free Students’ Union (ANNFSU) today demanded security for students living in Pragya Hostel of Padma Kanya College.

Presidents of the two college units of the student unions made the demand at a press conference organised in front of the hostel this morning, accusing students affiliated to the Nepal Students’ Union of beating up students of the hostel.

“Students affiliated to NSU thrashed at least seven students in the presence of the hostel warden on March 18,” ANNISU-R PK unit president Menuka Baral told reporters pointing to the students with several stitches and bruises on their faces.

She also demanded the college administration to take strong action against the NSU students who were involved in the thrashing.

According to a member of ANNISU-R Nidra Chhetri, only the students affiliated

to NSU were living at the hostel after the incident. The hostel has an accommodation capacity of around 130 students.

Meanwhile, ANNFSU president Ambika Bista demanded resignation of the hostel warden, Jaya Sharma claiming that she had failed to provide security to the students. She also accused the NSU students of stealing Rs 28,000 from them during the incident.

When Sharma was trying to explain the incident to the

media, she was forcibly taken inside the hostel by the NSU students. The ANNISU-R

and ANNFSU has founded a joint panel to topple the NSU panel in the women’s college which has been under NSU’s grip since long.