The police on Monday arrested 16 students belonging to a government arts and science college in the city after they pelted stones on a public bus and smashed window glasses, apart from verbally abusing fellow passengers.
Police sources said that the 16 students, all from Pachaiyappa’s College, were waiting for their bus at a stop on Azhagar Salai in Purasawakkam, when students of another college, who were travelling in the bus 29A, allegedly threw banana peels at the group.
While the Pachaiyappa’s College students tried to chase down the bus, they failed in their attempt as the vehicle sped away. Meanwhile, the bus they were waiting for, skipped the stop as it was packed. However, the students chased it down and boarded the bus while it was on the move.
Once inside, the students allegedly picked up a verbal duel with the driver and the conductor. When the driver protested to the verbal abuses hurled by the students, they allegedly got down from the bus, picked up stones and smashed the windows of the vehicle. Several passengers then called the police, who rounded up the students and took them to the Vepery Police Station. All 16 students were arrested following a complaint from the bus driver John Bosco and cases were booked under five different sections, including damaging public property.
Police sources said it was the first day of college after the vacation for the students. They said passengers, especially women, were infuriated by the language that the group used and the high handedness with which they behaved. “One even tried to assault a woman passenger when she raised her voice,” police said.