The Hindu : Front Page : Law colleges in State closed, semester exams postponed

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Law colleges in State closed, semester exams postponed

Tamil Nadu Bureau

College principal and two police officers suspended; four SIs transferred

— Photo: K. Ananthan

VIOLENT REACTION: Coimbatore Law College students throwing stones at window panes of classrooms to protest the incidents at the Dr. Ambedkar Government Law College in Chennai.

CHENNAI: Violence spilled all over Tamil Nadu after Wednesday’s clash in the Tamil Nadu Dr. Ambedkar Government Law College in Chennai, as other law college students in the State reacted to the incident. All law colleges in the State were closed and the ongoing semester exams postponed.

In Coimbatore, 69 students were arrested after they indulged in violence on the college premises. They were protesting the “inaction” of the Chennai police, who reportedly did not intervene to stop the clash, especially the beating up of an unconscious student by a mob.

They charged that both the college authorities as well as the police had advance intelligence about the possibility of a student clash taking place on campus, but failed to take appropriate action, leaving three students seriously injured.

Even as the students gathered in the college quadrangle to protest, a group of them resorted to vandalism and went on the rampage, damaging glass panes in almost all the buildings, tube lights, fans, water purifiers, regulators, bathroom fittings and furniture. Commotion prevailed as the students opposed any effort by the police to enter the premises. The students were later released.

In Tiruchi and Madurai, police anticipating trouble deployed a posse on the premises of the law colleges in each district. Students pasted posters condemning the Chennai incident but were persuaded to disperse by the police personnel and college staff.

Enquiry Commission

Law Minister Durai Murugan announced in the Assembly that a special enquiry commission headed by a retired judge of the Madras High Court would enquire into Wednesday’s incident in Dr. Ambedkar Government Law College.

He also informed the Assembly that the college principal Shridev was suspended. Two of the police officers present during the incident – Flower Bazaar Assistant Commissioner Narayanamurthy, Esplanade Inspector Sekar Babu – were suspended and four sub inspectors were transferred.

Passing orders on a PIL petition, the First Bench comprising Chief Justice A.K.Ganguly and Justice F.M.Ibrahim Kalifulla said that to prevent further deterioration of law and order and to maintain balance and normality, “this court expects that both the press and the electronic media will act under self-restraint and will publish the incident or show the same in such a manner not to further aggravate the situation.”

The court hoped that neither the press nor electronic media would give the court any occasion to pass any order restraining their right.

Students recovering

Doctors at the Government General Hospital, where three students were admitted on Wednesday, said the patients were all doing well. Arumugam, who had suffered a head injury, had regained consciousness and Barathi Kannan and Ayyathurai suffered only minor injuries.

Chithirai Selvan, referred from Kilpauk Medical college to Government Stanley Hospital, was treated there and sent to Government Royapettah Hospital, and is said to be doing well.

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