Panjab University protest: Students oppose fee hike, clash with police

Tensions ran rife on Panjab University campus on Tuesday as students, protesting the fee hike for various courses, clashed with the police, according to media reports. Police sources said that a few students who had gathered near the vice-chancellor's office complex were injured after police resorted to use of water cannons and tear-gas to disperse them.The students pelted stones at the police and broke window panes of the offices and damaged other university property, according to media reports. According to a report in the Hindustan Times, members of Students for Society (SFS) could be seen going from one department to another, urging students to boycott classes. However, they faced some resistance from students of the English and law departments.[caption id="attachment_2494652" align="alignleft" width="380"]

Representational image. Image courtesy: ibnlive[/caption]The Panjab University had hiked fees by an average of 12.5% for all courses of university departments and regional centres for the session 2017-2018Later, a few students, who were being chased by the police, entered a gurdwara on the campus and took refuge. Police officials were reported to be negotiating with them to come out.A report by India TV said police also took a few of the students into preventive custody, including Panjab University Campus Students’ Council (PUCSC) president Nishant Kaushal and general secretary Ashiq Mohammad.Classes were affected in several departments on the Sector 14 campus of the university due to the protest shutdown called by the students.The fee hike was being opposed by the Students for Society (SFS) and other student organisations.With inputs from IANS