Kerala University (KU) registrar, on instructions of vice-chancellor (VC) Mohanan Kunnummel, filed a complaint with the DGP, the city police commissioner and the SHO of Museum Police station, demanding legal action against the students who damaged materials, including mementos, kept in the VC’s office. The complaint has also sought action against CPM syndicate members G Muraleedharan Pillai and Dr N Pramod, who facilitated the students’ entry into the VC’s chamber. A group of students allegedly forcibly entered the VC’s chamber on Thursday, locked the staff inside, created a threatening atmosphere, and damaged items in the VC’s office.
The complaint to the police alleges that the syndicate members colluded with the students to assist in the attack. Security personnel reported that the syndicate members instructed them to step aside as the protesting students attempted to enter the VC’s office.
The CCTV footage, showing students shouting slogans inside the VC’s office and syndicate member Muraleedharan Pillai shouting outside, as well as alleged threats made to the VC’s private secretary, was submitted to the police. The incident involved a group of SFI students from Thiruvananthapuram University College. The VC was not present in the office at the time.
The students organized the protest to demand the immediate allocation of a Rs 50 lakh budget for the current university union to conduct a youth festival. The VC maintains that since the current union organized the festival last April, the newly elected union officials should organize the next one.
There are allegations that the rush to conduct the youth festival is driven by financial gain, as some syndicate members allegedly collect donations amounting to double the university’s budget allocation in collaboration with university-affiliated institutions.
This is the first time the university registrar filed a police complaint requesting a case against syndicate members for abetting student misconduct.
