Sena, MNS men attack colleges for barring students from exam

MUMBAI: Shiv Sena and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena activists today attacked two government aided colleges in suburban Andheri for not allowing around 206 students to appear for exams due to poor attendance.

The incident took place this morning when the Sena's youth wing and MNS men barged into Chinai and MVLU colleges run by Laxmi Charitable Trust and destroyed some property demanding permission for the students to give exam, police said.

The students were barred from writing the exams by the college management due to various reasons including poor attendance, they said.

"Three Sena men including MLA Abhijeet Adsul and 14 MNS workers were arrested and booked under IPC sections 147 (Punishment for rioting), 148 (Rioting, armed with deadly weapon) and 448 (Punishment for house-trespass) and relevant sections of Bombay Police Act," Prabhakar Kamble, Sub Inspector at Andheri Police Station told PTI.

The accused were remanded in judicial custody till March 17 and ten persons are wanted in the case, he said.

The management of both the colleges said that 156 (Chinai)and 50 (MVLU)students have been barred from appearing in exams, adding that "such a step was taken in keeping with Ordinance 119 and 120 of Mumbai University."

Reacting on the incident, Higher and Technical Education Minister Rajesh Tope said the Government would ensure that the students do not lose their educational year.

"I have already spoken to Vice-Chancellor of the Mumbai University Rajan Velukar on the issue and told him to look into the grievances of the students who are complaining as they were debarred from appearing for the exam," Tope said.