University College declares holiday as students clash

The University College, a constituent college of Mangalore University, at Hampankatta in the city declared a holiday on Friday afternoon after two groups of students clashed at about 12.45 p.m.

Sources said that three students were admitted to a hospital stating that they suffered minor injuries in the clash.

They said that the clash took place over a matter relating to some students mounting portraits of Veer Savarkar and Bharat Mata above the black board in a classroom without the permission of the college on June 6. The college removed them the next day.

Later, some students had complained to the principal about the portraits. And, a video clipping of the students mounting the portraits had gone viral on social media.

As an aftermath of this incident, a group of students picked up arguments with some students who had complained to the principal about the portraits and it resulted in the clash on Friday. The arguments took place when students were washing their lunch plates after mid-day meal. The injured students have complained to the Mangaluru South Police at Pandeshwar. The police are investigating.

The Campus Front of India staged a protest in front of the college on Friday evening stating that the ABVP was behind the clash. It said that ABVP activists attacked the students who have been injured.

Show-cause notice

Meanwhile, the college issued a show-cause notice to three girl students for questioning at a press conference the college banning wearing hijab in classrooms from May 2022. College principal Anasuya Rai issued the notice stating that the students have violated college discipline. The students had been asked to reply by Thursday. As they have not replied yet, the principal has written to the Registrar (Administration) of the university seeking a direction on the next course of action to be taken, sources said.