THE STRUGGLE CONTINUES ...

30 Aug 2008 03:01:48 PM IST

American College students caned

A large number of students and staff were injured in a police lathicharge on the American College campus on Friday afternoon.
Tension prevailed in Goripalayam when CSI Bishop Christopher Asir along with his supporters forcibly entered the campus which was opposed by the staff and students of the college.
It was said that stones were pelted at the Bishop’s party which resulted in injuries to a policeman and a Bishop’s supporter. The police then resorted to indiscriminate lathicharge on students and staff resulting in injuries to more than 20 students and several staff. Lecturers Boominathan and Meenakshisundram sustained grievous injuries and have since been admitted to a private hospital.
For the past four months there was a dispute between the college principal and secretary T Chinnaraj Joseph Jaikumar and the Governing Council chairman Bishop Christopher Asir, pertaining to the administration of the college. When the principal who had applied for leave to go abroad, cancelled his trip, it was alleged that the Bishop along with a few members of the governing council convened an illegal meeting and appointed V George Selvakumar as the principal and secretary of the college. The matter relating to the legal validity of the convened governing council meeting is still pending in a lower court.
Meanwhile, the Directorate of Collegiate Education had recognised T Chinnaraj Joeseph Jaikumar as the principal and secretary in its order which was received a few days ago. The Bishop's party had received an interim stay at the Madurai Bench of the High Court against the DCE's order on Wednesday.