Erode:Tension prevailed in Erode city on Monday after police personnel lathicharged students who had cleared Class XII for protesting against denial of free laptops which had been promised by the Tamil Nadu government. Police arrested 58 students, including 33 girls, for blocking the Erode-Mysuru National Highway (NH).
According to the Veerappanchatram police, the 2017-18 Class XII students suddenly blocked the NH around 12.30 pm, demanding laptops.
"Erode town DSP Radhakrishnan, Erode district chief educational officer (CEO) Balamurali and other officials initiated peace talks with the students," they said.
Even by 2.30pm, the students were unyielding. Police moved the protesters to one side of the road and allowed vehicles to pass on the other side as traffic was stranded on the Erode-Mysuru NH for two hours.