Close to a dozen people were injured earlier today, when groups of students and locals used hand grenades in a clash with security guards at Hazara University’s main campus in Mansehra.
Students travelling in a Suzuki van reportedly started arguing with the guards when they were asked to be searched for security purposes at the main gate of the campus. The argument quickly degenerated into a brawl with free usage of firearms from both sides.
According to sources, at least 10 of the injured students and guards have been shifted to the King Abdullah Teaching Hospital, of which four are in critical condition.
Sources at the university and police said security was tightened around the university earlier this morning after they received threats.
The fight is said to erupted when one of the students who arrived in the Suzuki van started misbehaving with the guard. Local shopkeepers came to the defence of the guard, while the situation aggravated further when other groups of students joined in.
Eyewitnesses revealed that both sides opened fire, after which a hand grenade was hurled by a student leaving at least a dozen injured.
Administration offices, laboratories and classrooms were ransacked and damaged. A teacher at the university confirmed that teachers and female students were safe but tensions continued among the groups.
The teacher, who requested anonymity, blamed the police on the grounds that they had been informed but only a dozen police personnel were sent, which did not prove to be sufficient to control the situation.
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