Kirtipur, August 8:

The Tribhuvan University (TU) Rector’s Office today directed the principal’s office to put on hold plans to admit new boarders in the Kanti Hostel till investigations are complete. However,

around 70 second year students were handed over the keys. In the talks held between student bodies and the TU officials — Rector Mahendra Singh and Registrar Geeta Bhakta Joshi — the two sides agreed to postpone shifting of new boarders until investigations into the re-listing process are complete. The TU officials said the investigation would start immediately. Earlier in the day, the Nepal Students’ Union submitted a memorandum to the vice-chancellor of the TU demanding the resignation of the principal over the forceful eviction of students from the hostel and a thorough investigation into issues related to the listing of the students. The Free Students’ Union, too, agreed on the decision and stated that they would respect the central-level meeting’s decisions. A meeting of all student unions yesterday had directed the local student union in the TU to stop the infighting and postpone all protest programmes for the next four days.

Pranay Singh ‘Munna’, president of Nepal Students Union, TU committee, said the demand of TU taking the responsibility of attacks against NSU leaders yesterday is still there even as the injured students have started a hunger strike from today. Bhim Shrish, vice president of NSU TU Committee, Lal Prasad Kafle, Jeev Lal Kharal and Yuvaraj Pandey who were badly hurt in attacks yesterday, organised a hunger strike today in front of the TU central campus as a mark of protest against the actions of the principal’s office and the TU administration. The students have been demanding the resignation of the TU Principal for using police force to evict students from the Kanti Hostel and encouraging the FSU students and hooligans on attacking the NSU students.