Rajarata University Medical Faculty closed

Court orders eviction of J’pura undergraduates:

Sandasen Marasinghe

The Rajarata University Medical Faculty was closed yesterday until further notice, administrators of the university announced, while court ordered the eviction of undergraduates of Sri Jayawardhanapura University from the campus premises. Rajarata University Vice Chancellor Professor K A Nandasena told the Daily News that the university administration decided to close the Medical Faculty yesterday due to undergraduates’ misbehaviour.

He added that the second year undergraduates of the Medical Faculty were setting up a platform opposite the university, seemingly for a protest after the first year students were sent out of the university on a court order on Saturday due to a restive situation in the university.

Professor Nandasena said that seven second year students of the Rajarata Medical Faculty were suspended in relation to their involvement in ragging of first year students.

“Following that incident, students of first year and second year boycotted lectures.” He added that due to the restive situation that prevailed, the university administration announced that the university was closed for the first year students of the Medical Faculty until further notice and instructed them to leave the university premises.

The Vice Chancellor said that as the first year students did not leave the university as they were instructed, the administration obtained a court decision ordering the first year students to leave the university premises.

Prof Nandasena added that following that incident, the second year students were setting up a structure opposite the university.

He added that fearing another agitation among the students, the administration decided to close the university until further notice.

Professor Nandasena also stated that a disciplinary inquiry will be held against the seven suspended students to determine if they had any involvement in the ragging incident.

Police Spokesman SP Ajith Rohana said that the Gangodawila Magistrate’s Court ordered the Police, to remove students from within the Sri Jayawardhanapura University premises.

Three faculties of the Sri Jayawardhanapura University were closed on Sunday, until further notice.

However the protest launched by university students continued yesterday. The university administration obtained a court decision to remove students from the university premises.