Ban on students union polls: Unrest continues for fourth day

Lucknow, Sep 10 (UNI) Unrest among the student community in Uttar Pradesh continued for the fourth day today following government's decision to ban students' union elections with as many as 395 students being arrested in the state under various sections of the IPC and CrPC.

Police used force in several parts of the state to disperse unruly mobs which went on a rampage to protest the decision. While several buses and other public property was damaged, the students also burnt Chief Minister Mayawati's effigy.

Wearing black ribbons as part of an organised protests, students took to the streets and indulged in violence. In the state capital, police foiled an attempt by Lucknow University students to burn Chief Minister Mayawati's effigy before the Vidhan Bhawan building.

Using mild force, the riot police arrestesd a few students, while the rest managed to escape.

Facing the protests, all the degree colleges and varsities in Varanasi, except Banaras Hindu University (BHU) were closed today.

State Education minister Rakeshdhar Tripathi was to attend a function at the Sampoornanad Sanskrit University, but the programme was cancelled following protests. In Ghazipur and Ballia districts, police were carrying out raids to arrest student leaders who have gone underground.

In Jaunpur, colleges affiliated to the Poorvanchal University remained closed today even as students took out a procession.

Police, meanwhile, arrested student leader Rakesh Yadav for spreading unrest.

Students of the Lal Bahadur Shastri PG college courted arrest in Gonda district of the state. In another incident in Gonda, agitated students damaged three roadways bus on the Lucknow-Gonda highway.

The ban was imposed by the state government to improve the education curriculum and environment in the state. However the ban would not be enforced in three central universities of Banaras Hindu University, Allahabad University and Aligarh Muslim University.

According to a government release here, the CM said that the step was taken to regularise the academic session of the universities and colleges. ''These elections create severe law and order problem besides the educational activities of the students get affected,'' she said, further adding that the students' unions elections also create disturbances in the campus.

UNI