6 machetes, 20 bottles: College students detained with weapons, cops thwart clash

CHENNAI: Kilpauk police on Monday thwarted a clash between two groups of students of the same college on Poonamallee High Road by detaining a few students in possession of weapons.

As many as six machetes and 20 liquor bottles were seized from the students who had hidden them in their college bags.

The detained students who travel from Tiruttani by train and had planned to unleash an attack on students travelling by bus from Poonamallee as an enmity brew between them as to which gang is more powerful, said police.

On Monday morning, about 30 students gathared at the entrance of Pachaiyappa's College Metro station after reaching the college by bus. Cops posted at the entrance of the college noticed the students with weapons and tried to question them after which the latter moved away from the spot.

On suspicion that they might enter the college from another gate, cops alerted the patrol team and the students were stopped by the patrol team at the second gate.

While some of the students managed to flee after dropping their bags, six students were secured. Machetes and empty liquor bottles were found in the abandoned bags.

Police claim that the students would have unleashed an attack on the fellow students travelling from Poonamallee by bus if they had not been stopped.

Disciplinary action has been proposed to the college administration against six students who have detained to the college management and search for others is on.

"We are inquiring the students detained the possible severe action would be initiated against them. There are no former students involved in the incident, said an officer.

Traffic along the Poonamallee High Road was affected for about 30 minutes due to the incident, said the police. Further investigations is on.

Students carrying weapons to college and attacking fellow students from the same college and other institutions have become a recurring menace despite cops conducting awareness programmes at colleges warning students not to indulge in illegal activities.