Fifty people were arrested here Wednesday as hundreds of students clashed with the staff of a state educational body over high bribes allegedly charged by the latter for issuing Class 10 certificates.
The students damaged vehicles and ransacked the Bihar Inter Council building protesting against the highhandedness of the staff. Several people were injured in the clashes.
The angry students alleged that clashes took place inside the council premises when they refused to bribe the staff for issuing certificates of the Class 10 examination.
'The staff demanded a heavy bribe for issuing the certificates, which most of the students opposed and led to the scuffle,' said Manoj Paswan, an injured student.
Patna Superintendent of Police Vikas Vaibhav confirmed that the police have arrested students and staff members of the council for attacking each other.
Another police official said: 'Eighteen staff members of the council and 32 students were arrested. The police were forced to arrest them to maintain peace in the area.'
However, the council employees went on a strike after the arrests demanding the immediate release of their colleagues.
A large number of students from different parts of the state have been coming to the council office to collect their Class 10 certificate ever since the Bihar government announced plans of appointing over 200,000 schoolteachers.
