5 students hurt in Kovai Law College violence

COIMBATORE: In a reminiscent of the 2008 Chennai Ambedkar Law College violence, two groups of students armed with sharp weapons and iron rods clashed at the Coimbatore Government Law College on Friday. At least five students suffered cut injuries and the scene of clash was hardly a few metres from the college principal’s office, Following the violence the college and the hostel have closed for the next 15 days by the authorities.Police said that the Friday’s clash was a result of simmering enmity between the two groups over various issues. Just three days back both the groups lodged complainants against each other with the Vadavalli police and the college management also suspended two V year students, who were booked for ragging a III year student.The immediate provocation for the clash between the students is the ragging complaint submitted by R Vellachamy, a first year student, to the college principal against a group of senior students on Thursday. R Sasikumar, a 4th year student and a native of Madurai district, said “on Friday morning we went to the principal’s office to enquire about the action taken on Vellachamy’s complaint. When we came out of the office, a group of students surrounded us and threatened to withdraw the complaint. When we refused, they started attacking us with deadly weapons. We ran for our life,” said R Sasikumar, a 4th year student and a native of Madurai district.Police said students from both the groups suffered injuries. However, students claimed that eight suffered cut injuries, only five were admitted to the Coimbatore Medical College Hospital.Heavy police protection has been posted in front of the college.The injured students who were admitted are R Vellachamy, (1st year), Sundar (4th year), R Sasikumar (4th year), Anand (3rd year) and Siva (3rd year). Police have registered two cases in this regard.