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Students, police clash at SRM Institute

Staff Reporter

Role of outsiders alleged; TV crew hurt

VANDALISED: Computers damaged in the hi-tech computer block of the SRM Institute of Technology (Deemed University) in a clash involving students, management and the police at Kattankulathur. — Photo: A. Muralitharan

TAMBARAM: A reporter and a cameraman of a television channel were injured when students of the SRM Institute of Science and Technology (deemed university) clashed with the police late on Monday night.

Alaphiya Zoyab and cameraman N. Sukumar of NDTV were covering the incident on the institute campus at Kattankulathur when they were attacked. The police confiscated the videotapes. Police officers, however denied attacking the TV crew.

The students alleged that the management had deployed outsiders to "deal" with them as they gathered peacefully to protest the institution's silence on their demands to come clean on the status of the AICTE approval. They criticised the police for using "brute force" to disperse them.

The management and the police refuted the charges and said it was the students who indulged in violence.

The students, who pleaded not to be identified, told reporters that just past 10 p.m., scores of them, mostly hostel inmates, assembled near the main gate after repeated discussions with the management failed to evoke "any positive response." As they began their demonstration, "henchmen," allegedly mobilised by the management and some staff members started throwing stones at them.

Before they realised what was happening, scores of "henchmen" assaulted them. Windowpanes of restaurants, offices, kiosks, vehicles and signboards were damaged. Even as the "henchmen" continued their assault, lathi-wielding policemen also came down on them. While most of the students returned to the hostel, many others were trapped. Following the incident, the institution was declared closed and students asked to leave the hostel immediately.

8 students held

The Maraimalai Nagar police arrested eight students early on Tuesday morning and produced before Judicial Magistrate (II), Chengalpattu. They were remanded to 15 days' judicial custody. The management of the SRM Deemed University has expressed anguish over the "unfortunate incidents" of violence involving students of the institute and the police.

Talking to the media, P.T. Ganesan, pro-vice chancellor said they had been repeatedly telling the students and parents that it was not necessary to seek approval from the AICTE for conducting courses or starting new ones.

"Rs. 3 crore damage"

He said students had entered the hi-tech computer block through the air-conditioner cabinet and went on a rampage, destroying Apple Macintosh systems and other sophisticated equipment. Property worth Rs. 3 crore was damaged, he said adding some of the students were "caught red-handed stealing the sophisticated machines."

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