KARACHI, Feb 15: As many as 26 students, nabbed by the police on Tuesday afternoon following a clash between two student groups at S.M. Arts and Commerce College, were released on Tuesday night.
Police resorted to baton charge and teargas shelling to disperse the student groups who had pitched against each other. Police said that the clash on Tuesday was in continuation of Monday's fight between the APMSO and the IJT which was started when someone had allegedly ripped off a poster in the college premises.
Three counter FIRs were lodged at the Preedy police station by the two student groups and on behalf of the state. The first FIR was lodged by the IJT against the APMSO, second report was lodged by the APMSO against the IJT while the third FIR was lodged on behalf of the state against the two groups for damaging college property and creating law and order situation, police said.
Saddar TPO Dr Sanaullah Abbasi told Dawn that police had nabbed 26 students belonging to the two groups, who were released by Tuesday night. According to statement issued by the IJT, forty members of AMPSO attacked the Al Badar Study Centre and S.M. Arts College. The attack left eight members of IJT injured, it stated, alleging that the attack was led under the supervision of three police mobiles.
Teaching activities remained suspended on the second consecutive day at S.M. Arts and Commerce College, both in the morning and evening shifts, on Tuesday. The college was virtually closed on Tuesday after the clash and follow-up action by police.
A note, authenticity of which could not be ascertained, was pasted at the iron gate of high-walled college. It stated: "Teaching has been suspended at the college and the classes would be held from Feb 21, on the order of college principal."
When contacted on Tuesday night, the in-charge principal of S.M. Arts College, Prof Muhammad Abbas, said that after a consultation with the principal of the morning shift, he kept the evening college closed on Monday and Tuesday, but would like to see the teaching resumed on Wednesday and onwards.
The decision to keep the two-shift college closed was taken in view of the prevailing tension between the two groups, he added. He told Dawn that the Executive District Officer (Colleges) had also been verbally informed in this regard.
Sources in the college said that technically a principal could not keep a college closed for more than two days. Sources said that a college could be closed for more than two days only with the approval of the EDO (Education) and other higher authorities.
The morning-shift college principal, Prof Jalaluddin Chuhan, while talking to Dawn late on Tuesday night disowned the note pasted on the gate about the closure of teaching activities at the college till Feb 21. He stated that the classes would be resumed from Wednesday, if the situation remained under control.
It was learnt that the area police were also urging the two principals of the college to keep the premises closed for teaching purposes till Ashura, otherwise, it would be difficult for them to deploy contingent for a smooth conduct of classes at the college.
Meanwhile, a letter sent to the newspapers, probably on behalf of some teachers of the S.M. Arts and Commerce College, stated that students of a right wing entered the staff room of the college on Monday and resorted to altercation unnecessarily.
Finally, the group misbehaved with a teacher and closed the door of the staff room and did not allow the teachers to come out for sometime, which was condemnable. A senior teacher said that some of the teachers were serving the interest of their political motivators, otherwise, things were manageable.
