A group of students from Government Polytechnic College on Saturday carried out a demonstration demanding action against the hostel warden for allegedly harassing four students.
Shrishail, a first-year Diploma student, and three others had left the hostel to work for a caterer to raise Rs. 1,400 towards the mess bill for December. “As our family condition is not good, we had to earn outside and pay the fees,” Shrishail said.
Shrishail, Manoj, Tejas and Kasim returned to the hostel around 11.30 p.m. The guard reportedly refused to allow them inside as the warden had barred entry after 7 p.m.
They slept outside the hostel and entered their rooms on Friday morning. . Shrishail said that they were called by the warden Mohan Raj to the staff room where they explained the reason.
Manoj alleged that Mr. Raj, who is also the Student Welfare Officer, refused to hear their explanation and then allegedly hit them on their legs using a cable wire. After telling their friends, the four filed a complaint before the Mangaluru East police accusing Mr. Raj of harassment.
Principal Karunakara Rai said that the students spoke harshly to Mr. Raj. “He (Mr. Raj) did react in the heat of the moment.” Mr. Rai however denied students were beaten up or harassed.
