FAISALABAD, Nov 16: A local civil judge on Saturday sent nine students, who were arrested by the police from the GC University on charges of rioting, were sent to jail on judicial remand here on Saturday.

The students were presented before the court amid tight security. A good number of students and teachers belonging to different educational institutions and representatives of the Joint Action Committee were also present outside the court.

The prosecution demanded two-day remand of the students to recover some “articles which they had used during attack on police”. But the judge rejected the plea.

The arrested students are Zeeshan Saleem of Razaabad, Muhammad Tanveer of Sargodha Road, Syed Ali Awan of Hajiabad, Rana Furqan Haider of Thikriwala, Naveed Ahmed of Hajiabad, Muhammad Umair of Chak 115-RB, Mohsin Iqbal of Chak 56-JB, Zahid Jameel of Gulshan Colony and Muhammad Usman of Gulberg Colony.

Police were yet to arrest other nominated accused, including Ch Abdul Khaliq Nadeem, senior vice-president of the Punjab Professors and Lecturers Association, Ziaullah Randhawa, Jawed Aslam Bajwa, Shahid Mahmood and Zain bin Umer.

Gulberg police had booked two dozen students and teachers, including the nine arrested, under 16 MPO. The arrests were made on Thursday when 16 people were injured due to baton-charge of police on protesting students and teachers outside the GC University.

The protesters turned violent when police forced them to end their blockade of roads, which resulted in clash between police and protesters. Some of the participants also damaged an official vehicle and four vehicles of the Faisalabad Urban Transport during the clash.

Meanwhile, PPLA leaders and office-bearers, in a protest meeting held at GC University, expressed their concern and dismay over the police attitude and registration of criminal cases against the students and teachers.

The meeting passed a number of resolutions and condemned the police action in the GC University campus, terming it a violation of prescribed rules.