Two people died and eight others were seriously injured Thursday at Tilka Manjhi Bhagalpur University in the city of Bhagalpur, India.
Police fired upon the crowd of nearly 2,000 students gathered at the campus's gated entrance to protest an increase in university tuition fees.
"The police were called in and were left with no option but to make a lathi [nightstick] charge and use tear gas, which culminated in firing to disperse the crowds," said Rakesh Kumar Mishra, the police superintendent in Bihar, India, in a Chronicle of Higher Education article. "If they had not used force, more lives and property would have been damaged. There were 2,000 to 3,000 people, and they were very difficult to control."
All universities and colleges were closed in Bhagalpur immediately following the shootings because officials feared more violence.
The Rapid Action Force, India's anti-riot squad, now is patrolling city streets. Students who live on campus were ordered to leave their student hostels immediately following the incident until the situation was under control.
Student groups condemned the shootings Saturday in a news conference held in Patna, the state capital.
Student groups now are demanding the resignation of Bihar's chief minister, who they blame for ignoring student concerns. They contend that instead of dealing with student concerns, police turned to violence.
One of the dead was shot by the vice-chancellor's guards. The second victim, who was a university student, died en route to the hospital. Three of the eight wounded were seriously injured and transported to the hospital. -Compiled by Alexis Unkovic
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