Pics: Ramesh Pandith
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (DV)

Mangalore, Jul 28: Clashes arose among students belonging different groups at University College, Hampankatta here on Monday July 28, following which three students reportedly belonging to ABVP were admitted to hospital.

It is said that the clashes erupted between students attached to ABVP and the college union which was recently elected.

Sources said that Suhan, a student, was allegedly threatened on the day of the elections for not lending his support, and on Monday, was assaulted by a group of some 20 students.

In another related fight, a final-year journalism student was allegedly assaulted, however, the students said he was beaten up for troubling girls in the college.

Suhan, Deekshith, and Vidyasagar, all of them belonging to the ABVP, were admitted to hospital.

They said that they were assualted by Karthik, Manoj, Nishan, Nikhil and Manoj. However, another group said that the ABVP members themselves assaulted each other.

A student identified as Rajesh Serrao and another student were allegedly assaulted by Deeksthith.

It is said that there are also communal differences within the college, with some groups warning students against interacting with boys and girls of other communities.

Some of the students felt that a blanket ban on elections would solve all problems dogging the student community within the college.

Speaking to daijiworld, principal Satyanarayana said that the clashes were related to elections, but clarified that it had nothing to do with the incident of alleged abuse against him by ABVP on the day of elections. He said that he would try to reach a compromise between the two groups.

Shyam Bhat, the college student council president, demanded that the vice-chancellor of Mangalore University intervene in the matter and take action against the accused.

Pandeshwar police arrived at the spot and brought the situation under control.