Sena men attack college for barring 70 students from exams

Shiv Sena activists on Friday attacked a suburban college here as the authorities did not allow around 70 students to appear for the exams after declaring them as ineligible, police said.

The incident took place around 0730 hours when the Sena men barged into Chinai College in Andheri and destroyed the window panes demanding entry to these students, who were barred from writing the exams by the administration due to various reasons, they said.

The college has submitted a report to the Mumbai University, which has also stated that these students were not eligible to appear in the exams, scheduled to begin around 1000 hours, DCP Prakash Mutyal said. The students had sought relief in the matter from Sena.

Party MLA Abhijeet Adsul and 15 activists were arrested following the attack. Mutyal said the situation is presently under control and the exams are underway.

Meanwhile, Adsul said the college management was being unjust to the students and therefore party activists had gone to meet the authorities. "We wanted to meet the authorities requesting them to allow the students to appear for the exams. But we were locked by police in the college," he alleged.

Mumbai University Vice-Chancellor Rajan Velukar has promised to appoint an official to look into the complaints of the students on March 17, Adsul said. He said the issue will be raised in the ensuing state Legislative Assembly session beginning from March 14 here.