Daijiworld Media Network – Beltangady (SP)

Beltangady, Aug 24: After two factions of the students of a college here fought a pitched battle at the local bus stand on Monday evening over a frivolous issue, five students were injured. The policemen have also taken seven students into custody. The policemen had to wield canes to disperse crowds of students that had gathered in the hospital premises in large numbers later.

Khalandar Hussain (17) from Totattady, Munafar (16) from Ujire Halepet, Abdul Jabbar (17) from Sanjaynagar, Punit (17) from Melantabettu and Guruprasad (23) from Ujire were admitted into the local government hospital as inpatients.

In the past, problems had arisen between different groups of the college students, resulting in a couple of brawls. Local sub-inspector of police, Subbapooramutt, had visited the college and counselled with the students not to give rise to unsavoury incidents.

The disturbances arose over the fact that a few girl students of the college were teased. The president of the college governing council intervened, and eased the situation by talking to both the factions. When the students were discussing this issue at the bus stand, it is said that the students belonging to the other group, which was smaller in numbers, developed cold feet about their chances of being roughed up, and sought the intervention of a bus agent. The agent in question got involved with a verbal altercation with the bigger group, giving rise to clashes.

Punit, an old student of the college, and who studies at Melantabettu government first grade college, found to be standing in the bus stand, was chased by the students and some people, although he was not involved with the disturbances. MLA, Vasant Bangera, came on the spot and urged the concerned to calm down and not to vitiate the atmosphere.

Circle inspector, Sudarshan, rushed to the spot and took charge of the situation. The situation is normal now.