A II Pre-University student and his collegemate, a first PU student, have been placed under suspension for two weeks by a college in Sullia, 60 km away from Mangaluru, following protests by a section of students. Their “crime”, as the protesters portrayed it, was their alleged relationship despite belonging to different religious communities.

This comes within a week of a 28-year-old youth being stripped and beaten up in the heart of Mangaluru while he was in a car with a colleague belonging to another religion.

At the Sullia college, a few days ago, a group of students had submitted a petition to the college principal seeking action against the II PU student for being in a relationship with the I PU girl, who belonged to a different religion. A large group of students carried out a protest on Wednesday evening demanding action. Thse police had to intervene and send away the students.

Students boycotted classes and carried out protests on Thursday.

The Principal admitted that the two students have been asked not to come to college for the next 15 days. He defended the college’s action saying they had no choice.

The principal said the boy was from Sullia while the girl was from Kasaragod. The girl was staying in her relative’s house in Sullia, before moving to a hostel 15 days ago. Though there was no evidence to show that the two were in relationship, the principal said an internal inquiry revealed SMS exchanges between them.

The principal said the parents of the boy and girl came to the college on Thursday. After hearing about the incident, the girl’s mother left along with her daughter to Kasaragod. The boy was also taken away by his parents.

Earlier case

The action taken by the PU college comes a few days after a college in Subramanya placed under suspension two girls for being seen in a widely-circulated photograph from a party they attended two years ago, where were seen sitting near liquor bottles.

The image had gone viral on mobile social media platform. The college principal changed his version after his action was questioned and said the two girls had “voluntarily” opted to stay away from the college for a few days.

A section of students had protested against their friendship