Around 30 college students blocked traffic on Anna Salai for about half-an-hour, seeking action against a policeman for allegedly manhandling some students travelling in an MTC bus on Friday.
According to sources, a group of 20 students of New College boarded an MTC bus (Route no. 21 from Mandaveli to Parrys), near the college around 1.25 pm.
When the bus was nearing the Shanthi Theatre signal, a Sub-Inspector attached to Chinthadripet Police station boarded the bus and allegedly beat up two students in the group.
Enraged by this, the students questioned other policemen there, who claimed that they had been instructed to use mild force to prevent students from travelling on the footboard.
However, the students argued that they never travelled on the footboard and that the overzealous SI had beat them up.
This led to wordy duel between them and the police. Soon, more students joined them and blocked traffic. The students demanded an unconditional public apology from the SI for beating up the students. However, the police did not agree.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Triplicane) Anil Kumar Giri came to the spot and held talks with the students. He assured that action would be taken against the SI concerned.
The students were then asked to lodge a written complaint with the Chinthadripet Police on the spot.
Subsequently, the students dispersed, but not before warning the police that they would jump to protests if sufficient action was not taken against the SI in question.
New College Students’ Chairman Salman Khan told Express that the students believed that the DCP would keep his word. “We agreed to disperse only because he promised to take action. If not, we will launch a stir against the police for their excesses,” Khan added.
However, the police claimed that the students were travelling by footboard on the bus. Traffic was restored around 2.45 pm.