Students locked in Kerala University hostel
Following refusal to vacate after campus was closed.
Thiruvananthapuram: Students of the Kerala University hostel at Kariavattom were locked up by the authorities as they refused to vacate the hostel even after the campus was closed till December 22 following the student's protest against poor quality of food on Saturday. It was only after police intervention that the students were let out of the hostel after opening the doors. Following the protest from students CPM leaders led by former MLA V. Sivankutty reached the spot. Youth Commission chairperson Chintha Jerome, who also reached the spot, took a suo-motto case. Following these interventions, the police opened the doors.
The university authorities resumed the functioning of the hostel by recalling the students who went home. University authorities however, denied the allegation that gates were closed. They argued that only one gate was closed leaving all other doors open for students to go out and come in. Earlier, the authorities promised to change the person who took the contract for running the hostel and appoint a new person on Friday.
The authorities had also asked the students to vacate the hostel till the campus was reopened. However, some students of the hostel along with few researchers doing their PhD protested and decided to stay at the hostel. This was because some university examinations were scheduled in the week. Following, this the university authorities allegedly locked up the hostel doors.