KOCHI: The Kerala High Court on Friday directed the Kottayam district police chief to provide adequate protection to Amal Jyothi College of Engineering, Kanjirappally, for ensuring its smooth functioning and for proceeding with the admission procedure for one month.
Justice N Nagaresh said it is the police’s duty to provide protection and no request from the college is required for this. He issued the order on the petition filed by college manager Fr Mathew Paikatt. The college was closed in the wake of protests by students’ unions over the alleged suicide of 20-year-old Shraddha Satheesh, a second-year Food Technology student.
Advocate Benny P Thomas, counsel for the petitioner, said the striking students’ organisations were obstructing the college management from proceeding with the admission process. He said though an understanding was reached between the parties involved in the June 7 meeting, no formal agreement was signed by the student organisations. Further protests and obstruction are likely and since it is admission time, the stir obstructing entry and exit will affect the college’s functioning, he said.
The government pleader submitted that a student’s death fuelled the large-scale protests. The government deployed 90 to 100 police personnel for maintaining law and order after the incident. Four cases were registered and the probe is on, it was submitted. “In the June 7 meeting attended by the ministers, college management representatives, students union and police, it was decided to reopen the college on June 12,” said the government pleader.