Governor summons VC of University College

Thiruvananthapuram: A day after describing the developments in the prestigious University College, where a student was stabbed, as "very disturbing", Kerala Governor P Sathasivam Friday summoned the Kerala University Vice-Chancellor.

The Governor had earlier sought a report from the VC, Dr V P Mahadevan Pillai, after answer sheets and an official seal were recovered from the residence of a prime accused.

Pillai met the Governor around 4 PM and is understood to have apprised Sathasivam, who is the varsity Chancellor, about the steps taken following the developments.

The University college has been closed since the incident and is expected to re-open on Monday.

As Pillai was returning after meeting the Governor, pro Congress Kerala Students Union and Youth Congress activists blocked his car, waved black flags and raised slogans.

However, police immediately intervened, removed them and allowed the Vice Chancellor's vehicle to proceed.

As the activists continued to raise slogans demanding the VC's resignation, more police personnel were deployed at Kowdiar, where the Raj Bhavan, the official residence of Governor is located.

The activists were later arrested and removed, police said.

The Governor has also asked the Kerala Public Service Commission Chairman M K Sakeer to meet him on Monday, Raj Bhavan sources said.

Meanwhile, for the second time in four days, Opposition Congress-led UDF Friday met Sathasivam and demanded his immediate intervention in the University college issue.

The delegation also wanted the LDF government to order a probe into the developments at the University College following the stabbing incident.

Speaking to reporters after meeting Sathasivam, Leader of the Opposition in the Kerala Assembly Ramesh Chennithala said the Governor should immediately intervene in the college issue and the matter relating to the appointments being made by the state Public Service Commission (PSC).

He alleged that efforts were being made to sabotage the investigation in the case and that there was corruption and nepotism in the preparation of PSC rank list, affecting the credibility of the Kerala University and the commission.

The two prime accused in the stabbing incident, Sivarenjith and A N Nazeem, were ranked first and 28th in the PSC rank list for appointment as civil police officers.

The opposition leader alleged that the state's higher education sector was in bad shape and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Higher Education Minister K T Jaleel had not taken any efforts to put the system in order.

In another development, police recovered the knife used by the two accused to stab Akhil, a final year BA Political Science student on July 12.

The two accused were taken to the college Friday morning to gather evidence.

Seven students were suspended from the college and five of them arrested in connection with the case.

Protests broke out in the campus after the incident with students demanding action against the accused.

Activists of the Kerala Students Union (KSU) are on an indefinite fast in front of the Secretariat, demanding action against SFI activists.