JHANG, March 27: The boarders in Government Girls Degree College hostel went on a hunger strike on Monday to protest against the police action on the college campus. They claimed the police was unnecessarily called in to disperse peaceful students staging a demonstration against the holding back of mess funds by the principal and to highlight some other problems being faced by the hostel inmates.

Holding the college principal, Ms Zakia Noman, responsible for the situation, some 300 boarders staged a demonstration on the college campus to press for the solution of their problems, reports said.

Panicked by the situation, the principal called in police to disperse the protesting students.

The police allegedly manhandled some of the students which further aggravated the situation, prompting the agitated girls to go on a huger strike.

Later, District Officer (revenue) Mr Ali Jan, accompanied by DO (colleges) Zahid Hussain and EDO (literacy) Ghulam Muhammad Jhaggar visited the college and tried to pacify the protesters by assuring them that their problems would be resolved.

Despite their best efforts, the officers could not persuade the students to end the hunger strike till the filing of the story.

The principal could not be contacted for her comments.

The boarders’ representatives claimed they had been protesting for the last few months against the indifference of the college principal towards improving the hostel conditions and resolution of some other problems being faced by them.

The main issue, they claimed, was the release of mess fund, which the principal had been holding back for no apparent reason.

Because of the unavailability of the fund, the boarders had to themselves arrange for their meals and that too with the single stove made available in the mess, they said.

They deplored that the boarders had to waste many hours in cooking because of which their studies suffered.

They also complained about the absence of medical facilities for the boarders.

They alleged that the common room was being occupied by the hostel warden whose official residence was being used for lodging the principal’s guests.