Rowdy collegians in vandalism mode

OVER A dozen persons, including a bus driver, were injured while many vehicles were damaged when irate students of Jai Narain PG College resorted to violence in and around the college on Saturday. They stoned vehicles and passersby indiscriminately as they ran amuck in various parts of the city as police cane-charged to disperse supporters of expelled student leader Manoj Tewari from outside the college gate.

OVER A dozen persons, including a bus driver, were injured while many vehicles were damaged when irate students of Jai Narain PG College resorted to violence in and around the college on Saturday. They stoned vehicles and passersby indiscriminately as they ran amuck in various parts of the city as police cane-charged to disperse supporters of expelled student leader Manoj Tewari from outside the college gate.

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Tewari, along with three others, was arrested in this connection. A case has been registered against Manoj Tewari and his aides. Later, student leaders of DAV College too joined in the ruckus and stoned vehicles near Naka crossing as well. Tewari was demanding the JNDC authorities to reinstate him as president of the college union, claiming he had passed the MA first year examination which made him eligible for the post.

Around 11 am, Tewari, along with 100 supporters, headed towards the college to put forth his claim as president of the college student union. Police were deployed outside the college gate in anticipation. They stopped the student leader and his supporters from entering the college premises. It resulted in a heated exchange of words following which Tewari’s supporter stoned a police jeep parked outside the college gate. In retaliation, police resorted to lathi charge.

Seeing the police in an aggressive mood, the agitated supporters of Tewari ran helter skelter pelting stones at vehicles. Some headed towards Charbagh, other towards Hussainganj and many towards the railway bridge. For some of the passersby, it was a double setback. First, frenzy student damaged their vehicles and then police resorted to indiscriminate lathi charge in which they suffered minor injury. The chaos continued as the police set out chasing frenzied students all around the place up to Charbagh. The agitated students also attacked a bus on the Station Road in which the bus driver was hurt.

Principal SD Sharma, when contacted, stated that since it all happened outside the college premises, he had nothing to say. Some irate supporters of Tewari also went ot DAV College and mobilised students there to support Tewari. Soon, student leaders of DAV took to violence and created ruckus on the Naka Road.

They too damaged vehicles causing inconvenience to the commuters. Naka police swung into action and chased the rowdy elements from the college vicinity following which order was restored on the road. A number of DAV College students were arrested in this connection.