Daijiworld Media Network - Mysore (SP)
Mysore, Feb 13: Student activists owing allegiance to National Students Union of India (NSUI) who were protesting against the action of the Mysore University administration in allowing the Anti-terrorism Awakening Campaign programme of the state government to be held in the Oval Ground belonging to it, laid siege to the Crawrod Hall of the University on Thursday February 12, vandalized the office and destroyed furniture and other valuable equipments worth several lacs of rupees.
The protest which the Youth Congressmen have been spearheading in the city over the above programme turned violent on Thursday. The Congress workers, who got the information that a preliminary meeting over the said programme is being held in the office of the Vice Chancellor, targetted the Crawfod Hall where his office is housed, and smashed furnitures, computers, printers, glass doors, wind shields of cars etc., besides throwing around flower vases. They raised anti-government slogans too. The activists also warned the government not to go ahead with the anti-terrorism campaign and warned that the government will face bitter results if it goes ahead with its plans.
Before the group of hooligans belonging to the Youth Congress reached the meeting venue at 10 am, the venue of the meeting had been changed. Policemen were not present to control the mob. While the office employees, who grew panicky over the sudden attack, ran out of the offices, the students were forced to desert their classes. Later, policemen belonging to Laxmipuram police station controlled the protestors who remained in the university campus after the incident. They also arrested over 20 people including Chetan, a NSUI leader. Deputy commissioner of police D'Souza from the law and order department paid a visit to the spot later, to collect details and assess the situation.