College suspends 6 students after photo creates uproar

MANGALURU: A city college suspended six students on Monday after their photo, showing a boy lying on the laps of five girls, went viral on WhatsApp and created a furor. Besides, the college has urged Mangalore University to nominate a member to a special committee it proposes to set up to probe the issue further.
In a letter to the student welfare officer of Mangalore University — a copy was marked to the registrar — college principal K Rajamohan Rao said, “Its (the photo’s) appearance in social media has created a lot of emotional outburst among students and members of the public.”
Rao told TOI that the six final-year BCA students have prima facie been found guilty of misconduct and for bringing mobile phones to the college.
On Monday, the students and their parents attended a meeting with a committee set up by the college to probe the matter. The committee comprises senior staff members and director-administration of the college. After the inquiry, the college suspended the students till further orders.
The college then referred the matter to the university for further action to set up another committee comprising representatives of the university and the college management to probe the matter.
Meanwhile, Jayesh PK, city secretary of ABVP who took up the issue with the college authorities on Monday, demanded the expulsion of the six students along with the one who took the photo. “We are not concerned about the religion of the students in the picture, but such an act on the campus of any college is not acceptable,” he said.
STUDENT RECOVERING: DCP
Another student seen seated in the photo, who was assaulted allegedly by members of Hindu outfits on Sunday, is recovering at a private hospital, police said on Monday.
DCP (law and order) Santosh Babu K said the student suffered minor internal injuries after he was beaten with a blunt object. He is recovering and is likely to be discharged within a day or two, the DCP added.
Noting that police have not arrested anyone for the attack, Santosh said the attackers are on the run.
“Right now, the focus in on ensuring fool-proof security for the Virat Hindu Samajotsava scheduled for March 1 and utilizing services of all personnel for it,” he said, adding that police will be simultaneously on the lookout for the attackers.