VILLUPURAM: Tense scenes prevailed on Friday night after police detained and allegedly assaulted members of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) and the Students’ Federation of India (SFI) who attempted to stage an overnight sit-in protest demanding the abolition of the NEET examination in Villupuram.
The protest, organised near the municipal ground close to the New Bus Stand, also demanded the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over irregularities in the NEET examination.
Organisers said more than 100 protesters had assembled for the demonstration when police forcibly removed and detained them. They alleged that several protesters were assaulted.
Following the detentions, CPI(M) State Secretary P Shanmugam who was on his way to Chennai, reached the protest venue and staged a sit-in, raising slogans against the union government and condemning Villupuram police.
He demanded the release of those detained and action against police personnel responsible for the assault. Addressing reporters, Shanmugam said “Police had granted permission for similar protests at more than 25 locations across TN, why the conduct of the Villupuram police is unwarranted? I urge the TN government to take action against the district police.”