Campuses of prominent arts and science colleges in the city as well as the movement of students came under police surveillance on Monday, the first day after the vacation, in an effort to avert clashes between students. The surveillance continued on Tuesday.
Police rounded up over 75 students for reportedly creating a ruckus on buses and outside college premises, as well as for brandishing knives they had concealed in their notebooks. Among them, eight were arrested while others were let off with a warning.
As a precautionery measure, police officers summoned students who have been christened as ‘route thala’, a colloquial reference to a leader of a particular bus route. They told them to desist from indulging in any dangerous acts or illegal activities. In addition, police spoke to the management of colleges.
Security arrangements
Police made elaborate security arrangements and deployed personnel near Presidency College, Pachaiyappa’s College and Government Arts College, among others. The students were allowed into colleges only after a thorough check.
Assistant Commissioner of Police, Triplicane, Arockia Prakasam and his team intecepted MTC bus number 6D, in which students of Presidency College from Tiruvottiyur were travelling. Other commuters bound for Anna Square were put to hardship as students continued to hang from the footboard and many danced inside the bus, despite being told not to do so. Immediately after the police stopped the bus, the students jumped out and took to their heels. The police nabbed a few of them, carrying knives, after a chase. Similarly, police also rounded up students travelling on another bus on Poonamallee High Road, this time from Pachaiyappa’s College, and recovered knives from them. The students created a ruckus on the bus after refusing to buy tickets and a few of them hurled stones at other MTC buses.
The Flower Bazaar Police arrested four persons, including a juvenile, who had 10 long knives stashed in their vehicle. Two of them were former students of Pachaiyappa’s College. Police said they suspected they were being taken for distribution among students.
The staff and teachers of institutions assisted the police by standing at the entrance to identify students, and allowed only those on the rolls to enter. “The students were hanging from footboards and attempted to climb atop a bus. They were identified and brought to the police station. We have summoned their parents and advised the students on how to behave in public. Parents also gave assurance of good conduct on behalf of their children. They were then let off with a warning,” said T.S. Anbu, Joint Commissioner of Police, East.
Police have plans to rope in a few non-governmental agencies to conduct counselling programmes for the students with the assistance of colleges.