Mangaluru: Mangaluru South police arrested nine students on Friday after two student groups of a private degree college allegedly clashed over a personal issue at a hostel in Gujjarkere. 

City police commissioner  N Shashi Kumar told reporters that Adarsh Premkumar, a third-year hospitality science student from Kollam, visited his friend at an apartment on Thursday night. Sinan and eight others have assaulted him with stones. Adarsh, in a complaint to police, has alleged that the group also had issued threats to his friends Shenin and Shravan, Shashi Kumar said. 

In the complaint, Adarsh has sought protection to his friends Shenin and Shravan staying at the hostel at Gujjarakere.

When the police, including PSI Sheethal, reached the hostel, the students pelted stones and threw chairs on them to prevent them from discharging their duties.

In the melee, five police personnel and seven students suffered injuries, Shashi Kumar said. 

The police have registered two separate cases of rioting against 16 students. 

The nine arrested students were identified as Adithya, Ken Johnson, Mohammed, Abdul Shahid, Vimal, Fahad, Abu Tahar, Mohammed Nasip and Adarsh.

The situation is under control, Commissioner said and added that further investigation was on.  

The city police commissioner said the situation is under control and the investigation is on.  

Protest

Meanwhile, residents staged a protest against the alleged vandalism of the students.

Shashi Kumar visited the spot and interacted with residents.

They charged that the students are creating nuisance daily by screaming, teasing and driving rashly on the streets late in the night and urged the college management to vacate the hostel. 

They also alleged that during Deepavali, some students threw crackers at their neighbours’ houses from the hostel balcony.

The city police commissioner said the issues would be brought to the notice of the college management. 

The college principal said, “We have an anti-ragging committee in the college. One of the students Adarsh, who was a part of the brawl on Thursday night, was suspended thrice in the past. Later, he was allowed to pursue his studies. He will be suspended again.” 

MLA Vedavyas Kamath and VHP leader Sharan Pumpwell also visited the spot.