Kochi: Ernakulam Maharaja’s College, shut on January 18 following campus violence, will reopen on Wednesday. The decision was taken at a meeting attended by college authorities and representatives of student organisations.
College authorities have decided to impose strict rules to maintain peace on the campus. As part of this, no student will be allowed to stay back on campus after 6 pm, when the gates will be locked. CCTV cameras will be installed near the main gate. Unauthorised inmates in college hostels, if any, will be evicted. Police presence will be ensured on the campus until peace is restored, Shajeela Beevi, principal-in-charge, told media after the meeting on Tuesday. She said the main agenda of the meeting was to find a way to resume classes as soon as possible.
"Priority is to reopen the college. We have to finish classes and practicals before the sixth-semester exams scheduled for March," said Shajeela, HoD of Islamic History.
“The college authorities will ensure that all students carry identity cards. The disciplinary committee will take strict steps. It has also been decided to ensure more involvement of students' parents in college affairs,” she said.
The college was shut down following violence involving members of rival student outfits. Police arrested an activist of the Congress-backed Kerala Students Union on January 19 in connection with the attempted murder of a leader of the CPM's Students' Federation of India (SFI) at the college.
Mohammad Ijlan, a third-year degree student, was held in connection with the hacking of SFI Maharaja's College unit secretary Abdul Nasar P A on January 17. There are over 14 accused in the case, including activists of the KSU and Fraternity, the student wing of the Welfare Party. KSU, meanwhile, alleged that SFI workers assaulted their leader Amal Tomy. The police on Sunday arrested SFI district president Prajith K Babu and vice president Ashish S Anand in connection with the incident.
Assistant Commissioner of Police Jayakumar, PTA secretary M S Murali, Adv Mary Harsha, faculty members T V Suja, Santhosh T Varghese and Jayashree Mohan attended the meeting. Representatives of SFI, KSU, MSF and Fraternity also took part in the meeting.
