FAISALABAD, May 23: Students of the Islami Jamiat Tulba (IJT) on Monday boycotted classes in the Punjab Medical College and threatened to come on roads if their four leaders were not released within 24 hours. The protesting students gathered outside the main campus and chanted slogans against the police and college administration alleging them for playing in the hands of their rival students group.

In the meantime, police contingents headed by Civil Lines ASP rushed to the PMC and held meetings with the college administration and protesting students.

Students’ leaders urged the police to release IJT president Ataullah Qasmi and three other leaders who were rounded up on Sunday night in a ‘concocted case’.

According to the police, students of MSF and IJT had clashed with each other over a minor issue in which both the groups freely used iron rods injuring seven students during a function held in PMC hostels.

Sargodha Road police had registered a case against four IJT leaders, including its president.

IJT representatives in a statement demanded immediate release of their leaders and registration of a case against MSF students. They said that not a single member of the MSF group had so far been arrested.

Meanwhile, armed police contingents were deployed at the college campus and hostels to avoid any untoward incident. The college administration was asked to keep a vigilant eye on the activities of students and did not allow any political gathering.