Sri Vellappally Natesan College of Engineering attacked after suicide bid by student
ALAPPUZHA: SFI activists vandalised Sri Vellappally Natesan College of Engineering near Mavelikara on Monday. Its state secretary M. Vijil and president Jaik C. Thomas led hundreds of workers to the campus in protest following a student's suicide attempt on Sunday. Though over 100 policemen led by Chengannur DySP blocked the march in front of the college using barricades, they forcefully removed them and barged onto the campus. They broke windowpanes and doors and damaged equipment.
However, the SFI district secretary James Samuel said there were around 400 agitators, and they entered the college premises after the goons pelted them with stones. "Four SFI workers including Mr Vijil and university union chairperson S. Ashitha were injured in the attack," he said. They wanted the principal and hostel warden sacked. The district police chief suspended Vallikunnam station ASI Satheeshkumar and transferred another civil police officer, Ratheesh, to AR camp for their alleged failure in the investigation.
They had allegedly gone to Kayamkulam Taluk hospital for recording the student's statement in a car owned by college trust general secretary Subhash Vasu. Chengannur DySP Sivasuthan Pillai said five police officers including the sub-inspectors of Vallikunnam and Mannar were injured in the SFI attack. "There was no stone pelting from inside the college when the SFI march reached there," he said.
Arsh Raj (20), a second-year B Tech (Mechanical) student attempted suicide after the principal allegedly scolded him for going out without permission. Mavelikkara circle-inspector P. Sreekumar said they had registered a case against BDJS leader Subash Vasu, the general secretary of Sree Gurudeva Charitable and Educational Trust which runs the college, and principal H. Ganesan on the complaint of Arsh. "The student, a native of Kilimanoor, complained to the principal that the food served in the hostel canteen was of low quality. Following this, the principal asked him to bring food from his home or vacate the hostel. These were the reasons that forced him to take the extreme step."
