The day when violence broke out in Madras Law College. : Nov 2008

Way back in Nov 2008 an unsavoury incident took place in Madras Law College.  There were awful photos in the newspapers the next day and there was gory footage in local TV channels as well – there was the scene of a boy wielding a knife and then a group of others thrashing him and some others and clubbing them with sticks and other weapons even after the boy seemingly dropped dead..  -  all this happened in full view of press cameramen, public and some police.  

Perhaps if you do you a google search now, on Nov 18, 2008 incident you would get to read reports of 4  students  injured, one of them seriously, when two groups of students clashed on the Dr. Ambedkar Government Law College campus here.     According to police sources, a group armed with deadly weapons, including iron rods and clubs, attacked some students at the main gate in full public view. Police entered the campus after obtaining a complaint from the college Principal.  An altercation over printing of a pamphlet to mark the  celebrations of a particular leader was reported to have ignited the clashes.  For about half an hour, armed youths went on the rampage.

It was hotly debated and days later Police arrested some students from different parts of the State in connection with the violence at the  Law College.     The police have also identified, with the help of photographs and TV footage, 25 students who were responsible for the violence at the college. 

After  the brutal attacks, the police booked a case under Section 107 of CrPC (security for keeping peace, for which the police might insist on the execution of a bond) against two groups — group A comprising  27 students and another group of 8.  The case  was to be  referred to a revenue divisional officer (RDO).  It was reported that the  students will have to give an undertaking to the RDO that they will not indulge in such acts.

It was barbaric and spine chilling to watch the incident even on TV.  The Police reported that  one of the prime accused  who repeatedly assaulted another at the gates of the law college campus during the group clash, has shaved his head to hide his identity.

It was a day when knife, iron rod, long wooden clubs all became deadly weapons wielded with so much of rancour and venom.  Those involved were the students of Law College who are expected to fight for the society made much more sad reading.

A couple of ghastly photos taken from various newspapers at that time

With regards – S. Sampathkumar