KOHAT, Jan 2: At least eleven students were injured when a scuffle erupted between two groups of students of Kohat University of Science and Technology on Wednesday. The scuffle erupted after a student was slapped by another student during a function celebrating the New Year.

One group was comprised students from Kohat and Karak while the other from Waziristan and Orakzai agencies. They used batons, iron rods and some of them pulled pistols at each other inside the university campus. The injured students were provided first aid on the campus.

Sources said though police were called in to stop fighting between the students they didn’t take any action. But SHO Jarma police station Saeed Khan told Dawn he could not interfere as he was not permitted by the vice-chancellor.

On the other hand, parents demanded of the vice-chancellor to launch an operation to purge the university of weapons. They also sought an inquiry into how arms entered the university in the presence of its own security and police.

Meanwhile, a jirga was held to pacify the students and make them friends again.

SCHOOLS CLOSED: Schools in upper parts of Kohat were closed till Monday on the occasion of the Chehlum of Hazrat Imam Hussain (AS).

There was no official announcement for closure of the schools as local elders and principals mutually agreed to keep the schools shut to allow the students to attend the mourning processions.