Chapati row sparks two-day campus clash at Karnataka university, police step in

A dispute over machine-made chapatis at Central University of Karnataka's hostel mess escalated into two days of clashes, injuring eight students. Police intervened with a baton charge, warning of arrests as tensions threatened to derail the convocation.  

A dispute over the quality of chapatis served in the boys' hostel mess at Central University of Karnataka (CUK) escalated into full-blown clashes over two days, leaving at least eight post-graduate students injured.

The incident, which prompted police intervention, unfolded just ahead of the university’s eighth convocation ceremony.

The confrontation began on Friday night when a group of students protested the use of chapati-making machines, insisting that handmade rotis were of superior quality, reports The Times of India.

However, another faction opposed the complaints, leading to a heated argument that quickly turned into a physical altercation inside the hostel’s dining hall in Kadaganchi village, Aland taluk—about 30 km from Kalaburagi and 650 km from Bengaluru.

As tempers flared, the scuffle spilled beyond the mess. One injured student had to be hospitalized, further escalating tensions. Later that night, some students allegedly stormed hostel rooms, threatening those from the opposing group.

On Saturday morning, the unrest continued outside the university’s library building, resulting in a second violent clash that left seven more students injured. With tensions rising, the administration called the police to control the situation.

Kalaburagi SP Adduru Srinivasulu told TOI that officers had to resort to a baton charge to disperse the students. “We have issued strict warnings to both sides—any further violence will result in arrests and prosecution,” he stated.

While the university has filed a complaint regarding the incident, no students have been named in the report. The authorities are now working to prevent any further disruptions on campus.