Stir intensifies; teachers released after 20 hrs in custody

Kathmandu, September 20:

Agitating MSc II year students of Patan Multiple Campus, who locked up five teachers including the campus chief yesterday, were thrashed by “outsiders” this morning.

“Five of our friends

were injured when the “outsiders hired by the campus administration” attacked us on the college premises,” said Basuram Lamichhane, one of the agitating students.

He said Raji Bajracharya, Raj Kumar Yadav, Sitaram Bidari, Sanjay Yadav, Narendra Kumar Chaudhary and he himself were injured in the attack.

Lamichhane said the agitating students have decided to padlock the office of the campus administration and bring classes to a halt from tomorrow.

A committee of the All Nepal National Free Students’ Union, the Free Students’ Union and MSC first year students has expressed solidarity with the agitators’ demands. The committee has promised to support our demand to decrease tuition fees,” he said.

He said the tuition fees should be fixed only after holding discussions with the agitating students. Being the government college, the campus should not collect hefty sum in the name of tuition fees, he said.

Meanwhile, MSc programme coordinator Kishori Yadav said local people freed the teachers after 20-hour captivity. Agitating students had locked up the teachers on the campus premises from yesterday.

He said the Dean’s Office of the Tribhuvan University had pledged Rs 4 million to set up a

lab for the MSc first year programme.

“We need around Rs 5 million to set up a lab for the second year students. We will adjust tuition fees, provided the Dean’s office provides us the money,” he said.