Sikkim varsity office ransacked, 9 held

CORRESPONDENT
GANGTOK, March 31 – Sikkim University came under open hostilities from enraged students who turned violent at Namchi Government College in South Sikkim with reports of some Tadong Government College students ransacking the university office at 6th Mile coming in.

Police later arrested nine students of the Tadong Government College who had gheraoed the college principal Dr MP Kharel. “Nine college students have been arrested for ransacking the Sikkim University office and threatening the college principal”, said SP (East) Dr MS Tuli.

It may be recalled that following the declaration of re-assessment result, the first year students of Sikkim Government College (SGC) had called a strike protesting against the Sikkim Central University.

“This is shocking that only 52 percent of the students passed in the re-assessment,” Devansh Rai, one of the students initiating the strike told newspersons. The students submitted a memorandum to the office of the Vice Chancellor on Monday demanding him to consider the matter.

Later, a meeting was held between Principal SGC, Dr MP Kharel and the Dean, Sudan Pradhan and the student representatives.

In the meeting, the students were asked by the Sikkim University to appear for the second semester. “We have been told that we can complete our graduation but at the same time we have to clear our exam in the seventh semester,” Milan Sharma, one of the students who attended the meeting said.

As soon as this decision was made, the students called off their strike. According to reports, about 60 students of Namchi Government College, in South Sikkim, dissatisfied with the re-assessment turned violent and broke furniture, window panes and flower vases at the college premises. ASSAM TRIBUNE