Friday saw college students in the city escalate their protest in the Sri Lankan issue.
A group of Coimbatore Law College students barged into the Income Tax office in Race Course around 1.10 p.m., rushed to a Joint Commissioner’s cabin and shouted slogans. The Joint Commissioner was on leave, though.
The students said that the Government of India must support the resolution the U.S. tables in the United Nations Human Rights Council’s session in Geneva and work towards protecting the Tamils in the island nation, and also work towards declaring Sri Lankan President Rajapaksa a war crime accused.
The police, who rushed to the spot, said the students moved in twos to avoid being stopped by the security. After almost an hour, the police removed them from the place.
At the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam office in Siddhapudur, five of the 20 plus students who have been on fast for the past five days turned ill and were rushed to the Coimbatore Medical College Hospital.
The Coimbatore City Police said that two of the students belonged to the Coimbatore Law College and three to Bharathiar University.
On Wednesday, two students were hospitalised and on Thursday a student was rushed to the Hospital after health deteriorated.
The protesting students said they had a five-point demand, which included declaration of the Sri Lankan president a war crime accused, India’s support for the U.S.-sponsored resolution in the UNHRC session in Geneva among others.
Students at the Anna University Regional Centre — Coimbatore also staged a protest on Friday.
A couple of hundred students raised slogans at the Jothipuram campus around 8 a.m. At the Bharathiar University more than 200 students tied black ribbon on their hands and around the mouth to stage a protest.
Later, following a State Government communication the University authorities announced an indefinite closure. Students staying at the hostel were also asked to vacate their rooms.
Meanwhile, at the Coimbatore Central Prison, around 40 prisoners staged a fast to express their solidarity with those protesting in the Sri Lankan issue.
Published - March 16, 2013 10:07 am IST
