16 college buses stoned, students hurt

TIRUVARUR: At least 16 buses of an educational institution located at Idayar Natham village near here were damaged, when a protest by students turned violent. The incident occurred on Thursday, after students of A R J Polytechnic launched a protest demanding that the students dismissed from the institution be taken back.In the morning, BJP State General Council member Gnanam Ravichandran, BJP Town President Selvam and Durai Arul Raj of All India Students Federation organised a road blockade in support of the dismissed students.The violence began when the polytechnic students pelted stones on the buses of A R J Engineering College. A bus driver and some students were injured. The students then set a makeshift security room and eucalyptus groove on fire, sources said.The engineering college and polytechnic function from the same campus. Six second-year students of the polytechnic were dismissed on July 29, after they attended classes in an inebriated condition. Later, the polytechnic authorities called their parents and issued dismissal letters. Three others, who did not take liquor but gave company to the rest, were suspended. On August 2, one of the affected students Raju of Kakkarai consumed poison and died. This triggered the protests.Sources said when the polytechnic students planned protests, they wanted engineering students also to join. But they refused to do so.  Bus driver Raju and third-year engineering students ­— Manikandan, Vetrivel and Ranjith — suffered injuries in stone-pelting and were admitted to the Mannargudi GH. The polytechnic has been closed indefinitely.