Route thala trouble in Chennai, ‘bench head’ row for Tiruchy

While Chennai recently had college students attacking each other on a long-prevailing dispute over ‘bus route heads’, students from the private engineering college in Tiruchy clashed over ‘bench head’ dispute-in which a power struggle was on over claiming the use of a cement bench on the college premises.

According to sources, a group of students pursuing third year in the college were on Saturday occupying the cement bench which was near the entrance of the main building on the premises that usually is taken hold of by the final year students. When the final-year students found that their regular spot was taken hold by the third-year students who were reportedly teasing a girl student, they warned the juniors against teasing anyone and demanded them to leave the place as they said the bench was for the seniors’ use.

This, however, led to a heated argument between the students, and soon, a group of third-year students reportedly started assaulting the final-year students with wooden logs and stones, and the final year students reciprocated, triggering further tension. The attack ended up with around ten students of the college, including Rakeshwaran (21), Ganesan (22), Guna (22), Mohan Prasad (21), Velmurugan (21) and Muthupandi (21), sustaining head injuries. They were then rushed to a private hospital.

Upon learning of the incident, rival students from both the groups assembled in front of the hospital that led to tense moments at the public spot.

Meanwhile, on information, the E-Pudhur police, who rushed to the spot, conducted inquiries and also went to the private hospital to dispersed the students assembled there.

The police later secured five students who are accused of being behind the clash and are conducting further interrogations. The police are also on the process of registering cases against the students accused of the clash.