Over 1,000 students of a private engineering college at Kirumampakkam boycotted classes and resorted to strike on Thursday following the death of two final year students of the college in a road accident.
The accident occurred when a two-wheeler on which the two were travelling to the college was caught between two buses near Thavalakuppam on Tuesday. They were taken to Government Hospital but succumbed to injuries.
The college students alleged that no ambulance was available to transport the injured students to the hospital and that they were lying on the road for more than half an hour. They were taken to the hospital on a fish-laden vehicle, one of their classmates said.
Several students said that the victims were staying in the college hostel earlier but moved to a rented room in the town following increase in hostel fees. As a result, they had to travel a long distance every day. Similarly, the annual fees for the college bus was being increased every year and many could not afford to pay the amount.
Some students alleged that two college buses and a vehicle with staff crossed the accident spot but refused to stop or help the victims.
The students demanded the management to reduce the bus fee so that more students are able to utilise the facility. They would continue their strike on Friday.
