LAHORE, Oct 28: The Government College University (GCU) on Tuesday struck off around 200 first-year students for ‘short attendance’. In protest, students blocked the road in front of university’s main gate for about an hour.

In a late night development, New Anarkali police registered a case against 200 GCU protesters, including nine nominated, under sections 147, 148, 431 and 506 of the Pakistan Penal Code, 7ATA and 16 MPO on the complaint of registrar Faisal Khursheed.

The nominated students were identified as Muhammad Akmal, Usman, Anser, Nazim Hussian, Amjad Ali, Ashfaq, Jameel, Hassan, Ahsan.

Police raided several houses and university hostels and arrested some of the wanted students. City Division SP (investigation) Pervaiz Qandhari confirmed three arrests.

Worried parents and other family members of the arrested students were present at the police station till the filing of the report at 1.15am on Wednesday.

Earlier, the protesters raised slogans against the vice-chancellor and registrar for striking off their names. They claimed the university administration was in the habit of striking off students’ names for two or three leaves and then readmitting them after charging Rs1,000 or more per head as readmission fee. They said the university administration did not accept even genuine reasons and used the ‘strike off tactic to mint money’.

It is learnt the university administration removed the lists of ‘struck off’ students from the notice board as soon as the electronic media reached the campus. By that time students in uniforms had started their protest inside the university. Later, they came out on the road in front of university’s main gate. As students came on the road, traffic was disrupted on various roads, including The Mall.

The protesters told media that the university had struck off about 400 students altogether from first year, second year and BS (Honours) third semester. They claimed that teachers took students’ attendance on lose papers and put it on registers later. In such a situation, they said, there were chances that students’ complete attendance was not put on registers.

“I missed some Pakistan Studies classes but the struck-off list shows that I missed physics classes and attended the Pakistan Studies classes,” a student told reporters.

The protesters said the first readmission fee was Rs1,000, but the second readmission fee was Rs8,000. Some second year students said they had been struck off for the second time.

The students demanded that the university stop pressing them in an attempt to implement its ‘strict’ rules and regulations. They asked the university administration to restore their names.

Some students said the university proctor had confiscated their ID cards and now they could be issued notices by the disciplinary committee.

Later, the registrar heard grievances of students who were protesting outside the university. He asked them to end protest and remain inside the campus.

It is learnt that the Ravians, who were issued notices by the disciplinary committee for staging a protest demonstration against ‘incorrect results’ also joined the protest. One such protester, Mahr Muhammad Akmal, was picked by police from amongst the protesters. However, he was released on the intervention of the registrar.

The registrar told reporters that about 150 students had been struck off from the university rolls for being absent for more than two days without any notice. “It is a routine matter. A list of such students is put on display by the university every month,” he said.

The registrar said some ‘outsiders’ wanted to disturb the peaceful academic environment of the university by instigating the students.

A news release issued by the registrar says: “Taking a parental view of the cases of the students whose names have been struck off because of absence for three or more days in Sept, the university has decided to give them a special concession for this month only”.

However, the registrar said, the attendance regulations of the university would remain operative in the future.