At least 20 students of Chattogram University (CU) were hit by tree branches while travelling on the roof of the university shuttle train on Thursday night.

The injured were sent to different local hospitals and clinics.

General students protesting the incident staged demonstration on the campus blocking the main entrance of CU.  They also carried out attacks on vice-chancellor’s house and local police outpost at around 11pm on Thursday.

Sources said the agitating students allegedly leak the gas line of the VC’s residence, vandalised furniture and a number of vehicles of university transport department, block the university roads.

CU unit Bangladesh Chhatra League leaders and activists also joined the demonstration. At one stage, factions of BCL after joining the protest programme allegedly engaged in clash

No representatives of CU authority and police have visited the spot yet.

University sources said the shuttle train carries students to and from the port city. Students  have long been demanding higher number of compartments and trips of the shuttle train, but the university administration did not pay heed to their demand.

The students alleged that students are forced to travel on the roof due to overcrowding of the carriages.

Few days ago, a tree branch came down onto the train roof in Chaudhuryhat area.

On Thursday afternoon, a student was hurt. But on the night, several students due to the darkness could not see the tree branch and fell from the roof of the running train.

The injured were rushed to the Fatehabad Clinic.

Chattogram Railway Station manager Raton Kumar Chawdhory said several students fell from the roof of running train but they don’t the number of the students.
 
CU Proctor Nurul Azim Shikdar could not be reached over phone for comments last night.