E-Paper
Agitating ECC students caned again, many injured
PROTESTING THE formation of a Students' Council in place of a Students' Union proved costly for a section of the Ewing Christian College (ECC) students on Saturday.
PROTESTING THE formation of a Students' Council in place of a Students' Union proved costly for a section of the Ewing Christian College (ECC) students on Saturday.
Trying to force their way inside the college premises against the orders of the college management and the cops, the students were reportedly lathi-charged by the police resulting in injuries to many a student. The cops also detained three students for disturbing peace.
Meanwhile, amidst rumours of postponement of the first meeting of the newly constituted Students' Council, ECC administration went ahead and held the meeting at around 4 pm. However, sources said, hardly half of the total 108 members turned up for the meeting.
It is to be recalled that students protesting the formation of Students' Council had created ruckus on the campus and also indulged in violence on Friday. Some of the agitating students had also announced their plans to start a relay hunger strike to press for their demands for the re-constitution of the students' union.
Trouble started when the students were prevented to start their hunger strike by the college officials and the cops. Upset, the students then tried to force their way inside the college premises against the orders of the cops and the college management.
To stop them the cops present in large numbers then resorted to lathi-charge to disperse the mob and also nabbed ECC students union president Vikram Jeet Singh and OP Dwivedi. Later Dwivedi was sent to the Kydganj police station.
Angry over the police action and detention of their student leaders, the students tried to gherao the Muthiganj police station. This led to the second and more brutal lathi-charge by the cops during which the agitating students were chased on the streets and pulled out of shops when they tried to hide there and severely thrashed by the Men in Khakhi.A number of students sustained injuries during this police action.
However, on being contacted, ECC Principal Dr Mervin Massey denied the incident of lathi-charge by the cops and said that the even classes were held as the campus remained completely peaceful throughout the day. "When some anti-social elements tried to enter the college, they were nabbed by the cops," he said.
Later student leaders of ECC and Allahabad University led by Nirbhay Patel, Raghunath Dwivedi and Sanjay Tiwari met Rev Bishop AR Stephan and lodged their complaint against the ECC management’s attitude. They also sought his intervention for restoration of the students’ union.
