Dehradun police resorted to a lathicharge on Saturday on some students and their leaders to disperse them as they had blocked EC Road, demanding resignation of DAV (PG) College principal over alleged irregularities in admissions in the college.
Police arrested 13 student leaders on the charge of taking law in their hands under section 151 of CrPC. They were later released. Around 13 students reportedly sustained minor injuries while four policemen were injured too. College Students’ union general secretary Sachin Thapliyal said that the union will continue with the relay strike on Sunday in support of their demands. They will intensify their protests by blocking road at Clock Tower on Monday and sitting on hunger strike there.
Meanwhile, the hunger strike launched by the students’ union of DAV (PG) College has got into its third day on Saturday, demanding removal of the college principal Devendra Bhasin. Thapliyal alleged that many irregularities have occurred in the college during the tenure of the present principal. “City Magistrate is conducting an independent inquiry into the complaint I submitted a few days ago. The probe would reveal these irregularities. However, we think the principal should step down to pave the way for a fair probe,” he said.
Other students' leaders also echoed him, saying that irregularity had happened in admission of a student at the behest of the principal.
Taking cue from the stir at DAV College, students from DBS (PG) College and MKP (PG) College also staged demonstration on Saturday against the sorry state of affairs in the college. They also vented anger against the principal of the college.