Prompt response by officials resolves tensions between local, northeastern students at Andhra nursing college

Kakinada (Andhra Pradesh) [India], August 23 (ANI): Swift response by police and district officials managed to defuse tensions from escalating at SK College of Nursing in Kakinada in Andhra Pradesh, following a dispute between local Telugu-speaking students and those from northeastern states reportedly over a missing mobile phone, officials said.
The dispute escalated after students from the northeastern states alleged that the college administration ignored their complaint regarding the missing phone and showed bias toward local students. As both groups staged protests, senior police personnel and the District Collector intervened to bring the situation under control.
Following directions from the District Collector, officials visited the college hostel to mediate and defuse the situation. To ensure safety and prevent further conflict, authorities relocated 31 students from the northeastern states to an alternate hostel with their consent.
Police officials confirmed that the situation is currently peaceful and under control.
Students from northeastern states at SK College of Nursing expressed relief after district officials intervened in a campus dispute and shifted them to a separate accommodation facility.
Speaking on behalf of the group following their relocation, a student representative expressed gratitude to the authorities and all those who stepped in to help.
"Now we are safe, and thank you, everyone--those who took us seriously and those who helped us. Thank you, everyone, from our Northeast. We don't know how to thank you properly, but we really appreciate it from the bottom of our hearts. Now we are safe; they gave us separate accommodation for the Northeast students of SK College of Nursing. We expect that tomorrow they will solve the problem completely. Thank you, everyone, for helping us," she said.
The clash originally flared over a missing mobile phone, leading to allegations from the northeastern students that college management was neglecting their grievance in favour of local students. As tensions rose between both groups, senior police officials and the District Collector intervened, directing officials to inspect the hostel premises.
To maintain order and prevent further conflict, 31 students from northeastern states were relocated to an alternate facility with their consent. District and police authorities confirmed that the situation is currently under control and peaceful.
Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu reviewed the incident involving students at S K College of Nursing, Kakinada, and immediately directed senior officials to resolve the issue, the chief minister's officce said.
"Acting on his instructions, the District Collector and SP ensured the safety and security of the students, provided the necessary accommodation and prevented any further escalation. The issue has been resolved amicably, and the students from the northeastern states expressed satisfaction with the response of the authorities," the chief minister's office said in a statement.

In a video statement on Saturday, Kakinala Collector Harendhira Prasad said "there was a minor understanding on the theft of phone" that happened on Friday that led to "allegations and counter allegations between the students."

The administration learnt of the incident at 5.30 pm (on Friday) he said, and police and revenue officials were rushed to the spot to understand the issue and sort out the issue beetween the two sets of students.
"It was learnt that the primarliy a phone was stolen belonging to a student from the northeast and it was subsequently found," he said. Both sets of students were pacified and the students from the northeastern states were accommodated in a nearby facility, he added.
Former Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh had said he had contacted the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister's Office regarding the incident. "I have been informed that the students have been moved to a different building and that a lady Sub-Inspector is being stationed with them for the night," Singh said in a post on X.
In an earlier X post, Singh stated, "Just contacted the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister's Office regarding the incident. The matter is being acted upon with utmost urgency. I have been informed that the DC and SP have been advised to look into the matter seriously. I have further been informed that the students have been moved to a different building and that a lady Sub-Inspector is being stationed with them for the night. I sincerely thank Shri @ncbn
Garu for his kind and timely intervention. His prompt response in ensuring the safety and well-being of the students is deeply appreciated." (ANI)