The students alleged that the teachers used to patronise ICS and the provost ordered policemen to beat students to scatter them on Monday early hours while they were collecting the signatures.

A team of around 15 representatives of general students met VC Prof SMA Faiz in the evening and placed their demands attaching signatures of around 200 hall students.

The students also demanded the authorities expel the responsible ICS cadres from the university.

However, hall Provost Prof Zahidul Islam denied the allegation.

"I know nothing about collecting the signatures," he said.

The provost said he handed over the responsible ICS leaders to the police. "So how could I assist the ICS men?" he questioned.

The situation became tense on Sunday after Md Abrar Ahmed, an attached student of the hall, submitted a statement to hall provost alleging that the ICS men took him along with 12 other students in a mess at Kataban area on Friday and asked them to join the organisation and tried to encourage them to engage in Islamist militancy.

Abrar also alleged that as he refused to abide by their directives, they beat him and forced him out of the mess.

However, Fazlul Huq, elder brother of Abrar, yesterday filed a General Diary with Shahbagh Police Station, terming Abrar mentally challenged and seeking his security.