Fasting Loyola students arrested by police, protests to continue

[TamilNet, Monday, 11 March 2013, 06:18 GMT]
In a sudden operation conducted around midnight, the Tamil Nadu police swooped on the eight Loyola College students who were on an indefinite hunger-strike against the pro-LLRC US resolution and have forcibly removed them from the venue of their protest at Koyambedu, Chennai, on Monday. The students, who had begun their fast on Friday, have been taken to the Royapettah General Hospital. Also, around 200 supporters of the students were detained in a community hall near the protest venue. While this move is seen as a draconian curbing of rising sentiments among Tamil Nadu students against those who extend legitimacy to the genocidal Sri Lankan state, sources in Chennai also told TamilNet that the eight students were firm that even if they were arrested they would not give up their protest.

Around 300 policemen arrived at the protest venue in Koyambedu at around 1.30 AM, Monday. Despite activists stating that this was a legal protest, the police broke down the gates, threw away the chairs, and forcibly removed the protesting students from the spot.

Mr. Umar, an activist from the May 17 Movement, told TamilNet that this arrest was probably made because this hunger-strike was a first of its kind protest against a resolution that was hoodwinking the Tamils world over.

He further said that college students across Chennai were expected to join in mass protests tomorrow.

The students of Madras Christian College and SRM College had already taken a mass bike rally on Sunday to convey their solidarity with the protesting Loyola College students.

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