Amidst reports of alleged
use of drugs and related violence on the campus, the beleaguered Maharaja’s
College Principal Latha Raj on Thursday came out in defence of the college and
the atmosphere prevalent within the campus.
Three inmates of the
college hostel were assaulted by a gang of students on Wednesday in an alleged
retaliation for an anti-drugs campaign conducted by the hostel inmates on the
campus.
Addressing a press
conference here, Ms. Raj condemned what she regarded as attempts to brand the
college as a haven for drug peddlers. She regarded the previous day’s attack
not as one involving the drug mafia but a continuation of an earlier clash
between hostel inmates and day scholars.
She said that the college
atmosphere continued to be healthy and vigorous notwithstanding the sporadic
and stray incidents of drug use by some students. The Principal said that
strong measures were being taken to stop the infiltration of anti-social
elements into the campus.
Ms. Raj said that
henceforth, the gate of the college on the hospital side would remain closed
while watchmen would be deployed at other gates. Entry to the campus would be
strictly regulated by identity cards. Those skipping classes for 15 days would
be removed from the rolls. Night patrolling by the police was set to be
introduced.
With the perception that
drug use is rampant on the campus gaining ground, the college is all set to
form anti-narcotic clubs with the participation of the police and excise
officials. A dedicated personal counselling cell has been set up to get the
students who have fallen for the use of drugs back on to the right track.
Ms. Raj said that no
narcotic had been seized from the campus while empty beer bottles were found
strewn around by police officials combing the campus.
Meanwhile, all three
students who suffered injuries in the assault on Wednesday continued to undergo
treatment at the isolation ward of the General Hospital.
The accused in the case
are absconding. The Central police have registered cases against them.
KSU march
The district committee of
the Kerala Students Union (KSU) took out a protest march to Maharaja’s College
on Thursday demanding an end to the drug sale on the campus and the arrest of
those accused of assaulting the hostel inmates.
The KSU alleged that five
Njarakkal-based SFI activists, who had cases slapped on them in the Njarakkal
police station for ganja sale, were behind the drug sale on the campus. The
protesters called for their expulsion from the college.
The protest meeting was
inaugurated by KSU State general secretary Sabeer Muttom. District president
Titto Antony presided over the meet.
The district council of
the All India Democratic Students’ Organization (AIDSO) has called for stern
action against those guilty of assaulting the students, a release issued by the
organisation said.
Earlier in the day, the
district leaders of the organisation visited the injured students at the hospital.
They alleged that the soft approach by the police led to the incident, while
demanding not to relegate it to a mere law and order issue. AIDSO will take the
lead in forming anti-narcotics groups in schools and colleges, the district
president of the organisation K.P. Salvin and district secretary Rashmi Ravi
said.
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