The police on Wednesday took Agriculture Engineering students, who have been on protest demanding quota in government recruitment for the last 36 days, into custody when they locked the main entrance gate of the administrative office and technical departments of the Agricultural Sciences University here.
The students are demanding 40 % quota for Agriculture Engineering candidates in recruitment under the Agriculture Department. They refused to open the lock even when advised by Vice-Chancellor P.M. Salimath, who later called the police to bring the situation under control.
Superintendent of Police Chetansingh Rathore, Additional Superintendent of Police S.B. Patil and other officials rushed to the spot and tried to convince the students of the need to withdraw their protest. Even after lengthy discussions, the students did not agree to the appeal that they withdraw their protest and open the lock of the entrance gate.
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Then the police took them all into custody and brought them to the Raichur Rural Police Station, where they were kept for some hours and released.
The students alleged that Mr. Salimath was deliberately neglecting the issue despite their agitation. Instead, he was threatening to throw them out of their hostels if they continued their protest, a student told The Hindu over phone.
While releasing the students in the evening, Mr. Rathore assured them of discussing the issue with the officials concerned and help find a solution to it. He also suggested that they withdraw the protest, the student added.
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As many as 150 students, including boys and girls, were taken into custody and released, sources in the Police Department said.
The girls were taken into custody when they stopped the police vehicle carrying the boys to the police station, the sources added.
All India Democratic Youth Organisation has condemned the police action of taking the students into custody and urged the State government to resolve the issue immediately.