Armed students strike terror in Chennai

CHENNAI: Two groups of college students brandishing two foot long machetes struck terror among commuters at Arumbakkam on Poonamallee High Road on Tuesday afternoon, chasing each other along the busy stretch. All the clashing teens, police said, were from Pachaiyappa’s College and the attack at Arumbakkam around 2.30pm followed one that took place near Ampa Skywalk around 9am.
After a video of the attack went viral on social media and following instructions from commissioner A K Viswanathan, police nabbed Madhan, a 20-year-old third year BA (philosophy) student, and Shruthi, 20, a third year BA (history) student from a hideout and launched a hunt for four others, all third year students. I Vasanthakumar, a 19-year-old second year BA (philosophy) student and Akash, 19, a second year BA (history) student were injured in the attack, a police officer said. Akash, who went home after being treated at a private hospital, told his parents that he suffered the injury after falling off a moving bus, the officer said.
The ‘battle’, the officer said, was over who should be ‘route-thala’ (leader, in local parlance, of students travelling on a particular bus route). While a section of students coming from Poonamallee wanted the coveted position for one of their group, those coming from Parry’s and beyond were opposed to this.
Vasanthakumar and his friends boarded MTC bus 29-E (Perambur to Thiruverkadu) in front of their college around 2.15pm. A short while later, as the bus briefly halted in front of DG Vaishnav College at Arumbakkam, six students intercepted the bus and attacked them. A private TV channel employee filmed the attack and the video went viral. A team from the Arumbakkam police station arrived and sent Vasanthakumar to Kilpauk Medical College and Hospital where he is recovering. Vasanthakumar’s cousin Santhosh, who runs a business, said doctors advised plastic surgery as he injured his fingers.
Pachaiyappa’s College principal in-charge Arul Mozhi Selvan said, “We don’t know about the incident, as it happened outside the college. We are expecting a detailed report and FIR against the students. We will initiate action once we get them.”