Lucknow, Oct 31 (IANS): More than a dozen students were injured in a late night brawl at the Kannauj Medical College in Uttar Pradesh, police said on Tuesday.

The fight broke out between two groups of students -- seniors and juniors -- over ragging. The two sides first engaged in altercations during dinner at the hostel mess but were pacified.

Around midnight, the hostilities again started and the two sides fought a pitched battle, pelting stones at each other and attacking the security guards deployed at the college, a police officer said.

Three guards sustained head injuries in the incident. Principal D.S. Matoliya and the Chief Medical Superintendent Dilip Singh rushed to the hostel but failed to pacify the students.

The police had to be called. It used force to disperse the irate mob.

The management, however, has denied the charge of junior medical students that ragging is rampant in the premises.

"We take action whenever any such issue crops up and is established beyond doubt," the Principal said.

College authorities said they were identifying the students who were involved in the midnight violence and disciplinary action would be initiated against them.