Two students of Institute of Engineering and Rural Technology in Allahabad were shot at on Monday after one of them recited a poem in praise of BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi.

Third year B.Tech student Prashant Singh was reciting the poem in front of his friends in the canteen, when some of his classmates, owing allegiance to a rival political party, allegedly expressed anger and asked him to stop praising Modi. However, after Singh refused to bow down to their whims, two members of the other group-Atul Yadav and Anuj Yadav-pulled out country-made pistols and started firing indiscriminately, injuring Singh and a friend of his, after which they escaped. Eyewitnesses said seven other unidentified students blew crude bombs near the canteen to instill fear.

The injured students were admitted to a nearby hospital and the police registered a case of attempt to murder against Atul and Anuj.

"The student (Singh) had written a poem which he was to recite during the college annual function on March 8. But as per initial reports, the firing was a result of an old enmity," said R.K. Singh, inspector, Colonelganj area.

Incidentally, the incident took place just hours after Samajwadi Party president Mulayam Singh Yadav held a rally in the city, where he had attacked Modi with strong words.