HYDERABAD, April 28: Students of the Centre of Excellence in Arts and Design affiliated to the Mehran University found themselves in a fix on Saturday when college director required the hostellers to leave hostel on the ground that it would be sealed after classes had been suspended as per schedule.

Around 20 boys and two girl students, residents of interior Sindh and upcountry, who were staying there, faced great difficulty leaving for their home after being asked to vacate the hostel by 5 pm.

Some of the students who were contacted over phone claimed that their course had not been completed and a major part of syllabus was yet to be completed.

The students had forcibly impounded the point buses in protest against college director's decision as they claimed that since the centre was affiliated with Mehran University of Engineering and Technology (MUET) all of its rules were to be applied in the centre and as per those rules extra classes needed to be commenced so that the course could be completed.

"We need to have access to computer laboratory, library and studio but if these facilities are closed how are we supposed to complete our course," said a student angrily.

"The director is openly saying that now it is his turn to teach students a lesson after they resorted to protest against college administration," he said.

The girl students who had left the hostel for some work for some time found their rooms locked up when they returned to their rooms.

"We are being asked to vacate the rooms by 5 pm immediately. But we are not able to do so as we live in interior of Sindh and we have to complete our course," said one girl student.

The students said that classes were being held till 1 pm and there was no intimation by that time as to the closure of hostel or suspension of classes but suddenly a notice was displayed on the notice board, depriving students of hostel accommodation. The students whose syllabus had been completed had left the hostel for their homes.

According to students the administration had spread a rumour in the centre that the students had planned something for Saturday night that's why hostel's closure had become essential.

The administration asked students that if they wanted to live they would be doing it on their on risk and cost.

"I had got an information that disturbances were being planned against college by students and since classes stood suspended on Saturday, I asked students to vacate hostel but there was no time constraint," said the director of the centre Rafiq Ahmed Jhatial.

His statement was rejected by students, who claimed that they were being forced to leave hostel at all cost after collecting their belongings.

The director said that centre lacked sufficient security arrangements that was why he did not have any option but to close it. He added that in fact there were only a few students who were resorting to protest and creating hurdles in smooth running of college.