Hyderabad, December 16: Students of the Little Flower Junior College (LFJC) at Uppal went on a rampage in college premises on Wednesday, damaging window panes and furniture. The incident occurred after the management allegedly did not allow students to attend classes after some who had taken Ayyappa Deeksha came wearing black clothes. Police had to use mild force to disperse students. The college management, however, claimed some students suspended for low attendance had created the fiasco.
According to students, three first-year Intermediates who had taken Ayyappa Deeksha started coming to college in black clothes without footwear. Nearly 15 days back, the management objected to the boys coming without the prescribed college uniform. The issue was settled amicably after intervention of local student unions. However, on Wednesday, the school management reportedly did not allow one boy to enter the class and asked him to stand outside.
The issue came to notice of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) who reached the spot and asked students to boycott classes. Once out of class rooms, they started damaging its glass panes on windows furniture in class rooms. Even toilets were ransacked. As the situation turned violent, college in-charge Franky Noronah reportedly left college premises. Uppal police reached the college and used mild force to disperse ransacking students.
“The management should respect sentiments of students and allow those who took Ayyappa Deeksha into the class,’’ ABVP Uppal zone in-charge D Veerababu told Express. “The management is harassing students who took Ayyappa Deeksha since the past few days. When we intervened they calmed down but they started the issue again,” he added.
College in-charge Noronha, however said a few students who were suspended for lack of adequate attendance started the stir. He maintained they did not hurt sentiments of students. The protestors later left the place after getting an assurance from the management to resolve the issue on Thursday.
“We will intensify our agitation if the management fails to prove that it did not insult sentiments of students who took Ayyappa Deeksha. We will organise poojas in the college campus if their charges are proved wrong,’’ Veerababu warned.
No cases have been registered by the school management or by students.
–Agencies–