2 DSPs among 30 policemen injured as protesting students pelt stones in Karnal

The Haryana Police Friday fired in the air and used batons and tear gas to disperse a group of students in Karnal who allegedly pelted stones to protest the death of a student.

The 20-year-old student of an Industrial Training Institute was crushed to death by a government-run bus at the ITI Chowk, in Karnal, on Thursday.

A senior police official said 30 policemen, including two DSP-rank officers and three SHOs, were injured in the stone-pelting that took place on Friday. Seven students were also injured, he added.

Four policemen have received severe injuries, the official said.

A total of 104 students were arrested and charged with rioting, obstructing public servants from discharging their duties and causing hurt and injuries to them, Karnal Superintendent of Police Surinder Singh Bhoria said.

Protesting students charged that state transport bus drivers do not stop buses at designated stops, forcing them to chase buses.

They claimed that after the student was hit by the bus, its driver did not immediately bring the vehicle to a halt, thereby crushing the victim under its wheels.

Bhoria said the protesters were assured Thursday that the administration would form a committee to look into their grievances and efforts would be made to resolve them.

He said the students, however, gathered in large numbers at the ITI Chowk Friday morning and started pelting stones at cops without any provocation.

The SP said some mischievous elements provoked the students to block the highway, an attempt which the police foiled.

Police had to fire in the air to disperse the crowd, the SP said.

Batons and tear gas shells were used to quell the protests, he added.

After the police action, some students had entered the ITI campus, which is nearby, but personnel chased them and over 100 were taken into custody.

On Thursday evening, students of the ITI had created ruckus and vandalised the bus after the incident. They had also blocked the national highway briefly.