MUMBAI: After a month-long stir on the campus, the
TISS administration filed an “incident report” to inform
police about the disruption and to prevent loss of documents and damage to property.
Students on the campus claimed the institute falsely accused them of vandalizing the registrar’s office, including breaking of CCTV facilities and other fixtures. A representation from the students said police entered the campus around 11.30am on Monday for a routine investigation.
“We assured police that we did not indulge in any vandalizing acts and the allegation against us was baseless as the protest has remained non-violent since the beginning,” said a student.
“This is perceived as an act of extreme moral deficit of the TISS administration. Instead of addressing our demands they have resorted to false narratives and intimidation tactics through the interference of police,” said the protesting students in a statement. They added that the students have gained higher resolve to continue the peaceful blockage of the administration block until the authorities agree to a ‘sincere’ meeting with the student body.
TISS authorities claimed the students encroached upon the registrar’s office on March 23 and held a senior
professor hostage till the wee hours of March 24.
“The administrative wing of the institute is inaccessible to staff members. Keeping in mind the continuous disruptive tactics used by students, the institute filed the incident report. This is a preventive action initiated by the administration for the authorities to take note of the incidents and registered after nearly a month-long stir by a section of students. In view of the incident report, only one police officer visited the institute to take stock of the situation,” said the institute’s official statement. “It was an effort to prevent loss to property in the administrative office. We appeal to students not to disrupt normal functioning of the institute and desist from acts of vandalism,” it added. tnn
Illustration for representational purpose
