Unrest in Cochin University of Science and Technology over hostel shift

KOCHI: Cochin University of Science and Technology (Cusat) on Tuesday witnessed tense moments when a section of students led by SFI resisted the attempts by the Vice-Chancellor Dr J Letha to reallocate the hostel rooms at the college.

They demanded that they be allowed to retain their current rooms to which the VC did not agree. The students gheraoed the office of Cusat and later the VC held two rounds of talks to resolve the impasse in the evening but it did not yield any result as both sections stuck to their stand. Sources said VC took the initiative to reallocate the rooms in the wake of complaints regarding ragging-like incidents.

Moreover the UGC and AICTE are learnt to be insisting separate hostels for first year students in the university. In order to facilitate their accommodation, inmates of the Sanathana hostel for boys and Aiswarya hostels for girls were evicted. The Cusat VC was ready to give alternative accommodation for the evicted but that was not acceptable to them.

After holding unsuccessful talks with the students in the company of PVC, registrar and hostel warden, the VC left for home through a different route as the students were holding forte at the main gate.