BANGALORE: The police have arrested 22 students — 21 Kashmiris and a Bihari — in connection with the violent incidents at the Ghousia College of Engineering (GCE) in Ramanagara in Bangalore Rural district on Monday.

The arrested students were remanded in judicial custody till April 6 by a local court on Tuesday. The police have registered cases of rioting and assault against the accused, Deputy Superintendent of Police (Ramanagara sub division) Mallikarjunappa told The Hindu .

The police said three students suffered injuries after they were attacked with sharp weapons during the clash between Kashmiri and Bihari students on the campus. The police reportedly resorted to lathicharge to disperse the mob. When contacted, the GCE Principal Mohammed Haneef said though the situation was peaceful on the campus on Tuesday, he had suspended the classes for two days to pre-empt untoward incidents.

Mr. Haneef said the trouble broke out after the college hours on Monday evening when some Kashmiri students, accompanied by Kashmiri youths from outside, barged into the hostel and attacked Bihari students. "We took the help of the police and brought the situation under control. Long standing rivalry between the two groups was the cause for the attack," the principal said.

According to the police, the Kashmiri and Bihari students have been often clashing over trivial matters. The students from Bihar had been at the receiving end most of the times. As their complaints were reportedly not addressed, the enraged Bihari students blocked the Bangalore-Mysore Highway for over an hour after the attack on Monday evening, the police said.

Meanwhile, around 75 students from the college on Tuesday staged a demonstration in front of the Ghousia Industrial and Engineering Trust on Hosur Road here, which runs the GCE, seeking protection and action against the unruly students.

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