Seven students of government polytechnic in Silli, agitating for an affiliation of their institute by All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE), were injured in a baton charge by police at Birsa Chowk in Ranchi on Monday.
Raj Kumar Sharma, Usha Kumari, Saurav Kumar, Kanhai Mandal, Monica Sabnam Kerketta, Sheetal Kumari and Bimlendu Gupta were taken to RIMS after first aid at a primary health centre in Doranda.
SSP Kuldeep Dwivedi said around 800 students had gathered since 10am at Birsa Chowk. "Police had to resort to mild baton charge around 3pm for two minutes as they had blocked the chowk, which is close to the Assembly, and were not ready to leave despite being warned by the district administration. They were also planning to march on Main Road and burn the effigy of state government at Albert Ekka Chowk," Dwivedi said.
Injured Sharma, a second-year mechanical engineering student, said the action was uncalled for.
"We were peacefully agitating for AICTE affiliation after officials of higher and technical education and skill development department did not pay attention to our demand. All of a sudden, police started spraying water and beating us with batons," said Sharma, who sustained injuries on his knees and chest.
The Silli government polytechnic was built in 2013 under public-private-partnership between the state government and Techno India, Calcutta.
It was established as Techno India and had the approval of AICTE and State Board of Technical Education. In 2014, the institute got its present name but information about the same was not given to the AICTE. Due to this, its students started facing problems in getting jobs after graduation.
Ajya Kumar Singh, secretary of higher and technical education and skill development department, said the issue would be sorted out on Tuesday.
"Tomorrow (Tuesday), we have a meeting with chief secretary. We will inform about the name change to AICTE and the problem will be sorted out. I had already informed the students about the same but still they agitated," secretary Singh said.
