KUST VC defends action against protesting students 16 students sent to jail

Sunday, June 26, 2011 Source:The News

KOHAT: Vice-Chancellor Kohat University of Science and Technology (KUST) Nasir Jamal Saturday said that the students staged protest after the administration lodged a first information report (FIR) against a few students for ransacking the offices of the institution.

Talking to The News, he said some students of the KUST attacked the secrecy (examination section) of the University and locked the offices on June 23. He said the students also took one of the officers hostage for hours and the university management lodged an FIR against this illegal and unethical step by the students.

The vice-chancellor said the students started the protest in a bid to force the administration to withdraw the cases against their colleagues. Nasir Jamal said on June 24, the students forced their entry into the Examination Hall, stopped some candidates from attempting their papers, misbehaved with the staff on duty and destroyed the answer sheets after snatching them from the candidates. He said that the protesting students forced the candidates to leave the Examination Hall.

The vice-chancellor said the university administration asked the district administration for help to conduct the examination smoothly and protect the university property from damage. He added that the police arrested only those students who were involved in violence and caused damage to the university property.

Meanwhile, the police sources said that about 16 students out of 255 had been sent to Kohat District Jail while others were set free. They added that the arrest of the students was unavoidable after the university administration lodged cases against them. Around 25 students were injured and 255 others arrested after the police resorted to baton charge and teargas to break up a protest against the university administration on Friday.