Police raided four halls of Dhaka University (DU) early yesterday in search of the Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) and Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) men who took part in separate processions violating the state of emergency.

Police raided SM Hall, Muhsin Hall, Jasimuddin Hall and Ziaur Rahman Hall from around 12:15am to 2:00am but could not arrest any wanted person.

Intelligence sources said the raid was also aimed at arresting the three JCD men who beat up a journalist at SM Hall on Thursday.

One outsider picked up from Muhsin Hall during the raid was later freed.

Sources said police and intelligence agencies working on the campus prepared a list of JCD and BCL leaders and activists who violated the state of emergency.

JCD took part in a procession on the campus on March 8 after the detention of Tarique Rahman, BNP senior joint secretary general.

BCL also did the same on 22 April in Shahbagh protesting against the government steps to prevent Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina's return to the country.

The raid was conducted on information that some outsiders were staying in the dormitories, Shahidul Islam, officer-in-charge of Shahabagh Police Station, said.

He declined to admit that the raid was part of any 'special search'.