College students across the State indulged in flash protest against the hike in bus fare in buses operated by the State Road Transport Corporation announced by the Govt. of Tamil Nadu late last week. Students have joined the protests which was initially started by people, not so widely though, at some places in the State.

A message spread on ‘Whatsapp’ asking all college students in the State to skip their classes on Monday (yesterday) and protest against the hike in bus fare.  “The protest should be a silent, non-violent protest in which people and teachers should take part whole-heartedly,” the message said.

Despite attempts by the police to prevent students coming together, there was spontaneous response to the ‘Whatsapp’ message. Govt. Arts College students in Tiruvannamalai skipped their classes and protested by shouting slogans. In Thanjavur, girl students of Kundhavai Nachiyar College jointed the protest by skipping classes and sitting in front of the college.

Students in Aruppukkottai, Ariyalur and Tirupur too joined the protests. More than 3000 students took to protest in Ariyalur. In Tirupur, students of Govt. Chikkanna Arts College were joined by students from many private colleges. The students held a bus as ‘hostage’ for a few hours before releasing it for people’s service.

Students of Govt. Arts College in Villupuram and Bharathidasan College students in Nagappattinam boycotted classes and joined the protests in their respective places.