Tiruchi Anna Varsity suspends students

TNN, Sep 23, 2010, 12.46am IST

TIRUCHI: The Anna University of Technology Tiruchi (AUT-T) placed 47 hostel students under suspension after they clashed among themselves in the hostel on Sunday night. The university had stuck the suspension order on the notice board on Tuesday and had sent all the suspended students out of the hostel.

Vice-chancellor P Devadas Manoharan was not available for comments but sources in the university said he had ordered for a probe into the incident. While the university is tight-lipped about the cause of the clash, students said that ragging was the root cause of the fracas. A student of the university said a few days back a second year student ragged his junior, who happened to be the brother of a final year student. The incident triggered a quarrel between final year and second year students.

Another incident occurred within the next few days when a final year student asked a second year student who was watching television in the hostel to reduce the TV volume. The latter refused resulting in another quarrel. These incidents had created friction among the students who used to exchange harsh words occasionally. On Sunday night yet another quarrel broke out between the students and a clash ensued. Hostel staff intervened and pacified the students. However a couple of hours later they began assaulting each other again, said a final year student.

A university staff said the students have been suspended to prevent escalation of tension. Once the enquiry is over further disciplinary action may be taken against the students found guilty, he said.