Goa students boycott classes to protest police action

PANAJI: A majority of students in most professional and general colleges in Goa boycotted classes on Wednesday to demand action against police officers who used male constables to arrest girls during a protest.

The students had taken to the streets on Wednesday, disrupting traffic in the city. Alleging injustice to them in the state government-sponsored cyberage scheme, around 500 students blocked roads to Panaji for almost two hours before
being arrested.

"It was pathetic. Male constables molested girls on the road in the presence of senior police officials. They were picking up girls, though legally only female constables should be used for the purpose," student leader Abhijeet Gaonkar said.

Under the banner of the Students Forum, the students have decided to continue their protest till the government considers their case under the scheme. The scheme, formulated during the BJP regime, envisages providing computers to college students for only Rs 1,000.

Wednesday's protest was peaceful though a group of students was seen going around various colleges and requesting students to boycott classes.

"We are forced to do it or else the government will take us lightly," a student leader said. "Also we want to bring to the notice of the public how police misbehaved with the students, especialy females."

The students said Chief Miniser Pratapsingh Rane had, during a meeting with them, given an assurance that the computers would be provided within 15 days but he failed to adhere to his promise.