Two sections of Moratuwa Uni. closed after fresh clash

January 17, 2013, 12:00 pm , the island

by Dasun Edirisinghe

 The Engineering Faculty and the Institute of Technology, of the Moratuwa University were once again closed indefinitely yesterday following a fresh clash between students of the two divisions on Wednesday night.

University sources said that four students had been hospitalized, after the clash and two of them were discharged after treatment.

Vice Chancellor of the University Prof. Ananda Jayawardena told The Island that of the two still in hospital, one was warded at the Colombo National Hospital and the other at the Colombo South Teaching Hospital, Kalubowila, he said.

The Engineering Faculty and Institute of Technology were closed on Jan. 02 after a clash and re-opened a week later to hold examinations. The Engineering faculty was re-opened only for final year students.

Prof. Jayawardena said that the cause of the latest clash was also an argument following a minor accident similar to that of two weeks back.

"We declared the university premises and hostels out of bounds for students of the Engineering Faculty and those following the National Diploma in Technology, to prevent further incidents," he said.

Prof. Jayawardena said that an inquiry into the previous incident was yet to conclude and a fresh inquiry would be held into Wednesday night’s incident.

However, the Engineering students claimed that around 40 NDT students had attacked them with clubs and iron bars at the male hostel.

The spokesman for the NDT students association told The Island that the dispute was a long-standing one as the Engineering students wanted the Institute of Technology moved out of the university.

Both sides had lodged complaints with the university administration and the police over the incidents.