The armed group, while vandalizing the campus premises, also opened fire at least four times, according to eyewitnesses.
NSU claims that its 10 activists were injured in the mishap, including one struck by the bullet. The member who received bullet injury is NSU central member Bhimsen Gurung, NSU said. He is being treated at the Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital. The rest are being treated at Bir and Model hospitals.
The office of principal Hari Prasad Parajuli and the adjacent administrative room were put to flames, destroying almost everything in the former.
A student who was attending a lecture next door recalled that the attackers with swords in hands encircled the building called ´Saraswati Sadan´ and even entered the classroom warning everyone to remain silent. "It was like something we heard during conflict period happening around us. We were cordoned off," he said. "Never have I been so terrified in my life."
The campus had last month annouced a Rs 8 million tender to extend the science department building to introduce master´s degree program in chemistry. Eight firms had placed bids. As the deadline would expire on Sunday, the technical committee of the campus was supposed to begin work for shortlisting the bidders from Monday.
It is learnt that ANNFSU members, Sunday being the last date, tried to file a tender bid and NSU members allegedly obstructed.
"They attacked fearing the firm they side with would not win the bid as we now lead the Free Students Union (FSU)," says FSU secretary Sanjaya Shah, who does not accept the allegation of debarring the new application.
Eyewitnesses say Youth Force Valley in-charge Ain Bahadur Magar and the FSU presidential candidate for the campus from ANFSU Purushottam Kadaria led the attack as claimed by NSU. Magar is said to have opened fire while Kadaria himself took a sword.
Gurung, who received bullet injury to his leg and is undergoing treatment at the hospital said, "Ain Bahadur [Magar] trained his pistol at me and fired thrice. I received the last bullet."
Both Magar and Kadaria were not available for comment. ANNFSU General Secretary Mahdav Dhungel refuted involvement of his organization but begged time to confirm whether its activists were involved.
Inspector of Metropolitan Police Durbar Marg sector Bamdev Gautam complained that principal Parajuli did not allow the police to enter the college. Parajuli also said he sensed no sign of the incident so did not see the need to get help from police. He also said he has given an all-time written permission to police for intervention in urgency. "The tender process will now be nullified," he added.
Principal Parajuli condemned the incident, saying the act of the kind is not in tandem with the propriety expected from students. "This all happened due to unnecessary interest from student wings in financial proceedings," he said, hinting at the malpractices in government colleges substantiated by politically-motivated student bodies.
All happened within half-an-hour
The incident ended up as a dire consequence of the dispute between ANNFSU and NSU ever since the tender was called. On Sunday, both the student wings were wrangling since morning. Principal Parajuli informed that the dispute was already settled but the attack happened all of a sudden.
One of the oldest colleges in the country has lost valuable assets in the fire. "Medals, shields, images, important documents, all piled up at the Principal´s Office, have turned into ashes," said a staffer who looks after the building.
The incident spanned no more than half an hour. A fire brigade attending the incident on time saved the campus from further damage. "Otherwise, I dare not imagine what would have happened," Parajuli said.
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