Chennai: Protesting college students injured after caning by cops

The city police were called in to reign in protests by students of the Presidency College on Monday. The police caned the protesting students and as a results eight students were injured, The New Indian Express report.

The students protested in front of their college when the college management rejected their demand to conduct students' union elections on Monday.

The injured students were taken to the Rajiv Gandhi Government Hospital. Some of the students were arrested. The report adds that students complained that they were ruthlessly caned by the cops. 

This is reportedly not the first time the students have protested asking for students' union elections. Three months ago, candidates had been shortlisted for the college union posts but the college allegedly rejected some candidates who had political backing. The college management wanted some of their candidates to be supported by students.

P Uchi Makali, state president, Students Federation of India (SFI), told the daily that without a students’ union they were wary of raising issues as the college might take disciplinary action or reduce their internal marks.