COIMBATORE: Governor RN Ravi on Friday said the vice-chancellors of state-run universities were threatened by police not to participate in the annual two-day conference of Vice-Chancellors at Raj Bhavan campus in Udhagamandalam.

“There was a midnight knock at their doors. The special branch of state police went and told them, if you participate in the conference, you will not be able to go home and meet your family. I advise them to take care of your family and don’t jeopardise their interests,” he said, while addressing the conference at the inaugural function.

Delving further into the issue, Ravi said, as of now, one of our vice chancellors is in the police station, in an indirect reference to Periyar University Vice Chancellor R Jagannathan being summoned to Suramangalam Assistant Commissioner's Office in connection with an investigation.

“I wish good sense prevails because essentially this conference is meant to improve the quality of education, and there is no politics involved in it,” he said. The vice-chancellors of state-run universities have boycotted the conference inaugurated by Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar.