Patna: Protests by more than 1,000 students against private coaching institutes here on Tuesday turned ugly when police fired tear gas shells and resorted to baton charge to disperse the mob demanding closure of such centres that charge steep fees but fail to complete the courses on time.
It all started when the students assembled at the Bazar Samiti locality here and then spread to congested Khazanchi road, Naya Tola, BM Das road and Bhikhna Pahari areas where most of the coaching institutes are located.
The angry students blocked roads, threw stones, set ablaze some vehicles at Khazanchi Road and Naya Tola and vandalised properties of many institutes.
"They demanded shutdown of coaching centres that dupe students in the name of completing the course within a stipulated time," a police official said.
"The coaching institutes have cheated us. Our plus-two exams are due from early March but the courses have not been completed even though we had paid the full money in advance," Vikram Kumar Singh, one of the protesting students, said.
Another student Shakil Ansari charged that coaching institutes in Patna are minting money in the name of providing help to students.
"They have nothing to do with education, it is a totally commercial venture to dupe students," he said.
Extra police personnel have been deployed in the area.
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