Students from Tamil Nadu, Kerala clash, over 40 injured

More than 40 students from Tamil Nadu and Kerala were injured in a clash between two groups in a private polytechnic college at Erachakulam, 7 km from here, on Monday night.

Students of a private polytechnic college gathered in front of the government hospital, Asaripallam, Nagercoil, where their collegues injured in a clash were admitted on Tuesday.

According to the police, the violence was a sequel to the arrest of two students three days ago, following an attack on a second year student, Larsen, hailing from Boothapandi, by members of a group led by Ramesh Kumar, another student.

After midnight on Monday, students from an engineering college, located on the same campus, locked up hostel inmates from Kerala and attacked them with logs and other weapons, the police said. College property was also damaged.

Students boycotted classes on Tuesday demanding action against those responsible for the violence.

The college authorities, assisted by the police, held talks with the agitating students, who withdrew their protest on the assurance that action would be initiated against those involved in the clash.

Nine students – Altaf, Ajith, Akil Krishnan, Sarath, Baisalu, Siva Prasad, Sree Hari, Krishna Narayanan and Sree Joe – have been admitted to the Government Medical College hospital at Asaripallam.

Police personnel have been posted at the college and the Asaripallam hospital. A case has been registered at the Boothapandi police station. An uneasy calm prevails on the campus.