Chennai, March 11 The Government Railway Police (GRP) arrested nine college students on Tuesday following a clash at Korattur railway station on Monday.
The incident occurred on March 10 when students from a college were traveling in a suburban train from Chennai to Arakkonam.
As the train halted at Korattur railway station, students from a rival college noticed them and began pelting stones at the train coach.
Terrified passengers took cover and immediately alerted the Railway Protection Force (RPF).
Fortunately, no passengers were injured. Upon spotting the authorities, the students fled the scene.
The GRP registered a case and, based on Intelligence inputs, arrested nine students from a city college.
According to police, the attack stemmed from inter-college student rivalry, a recurring issue during commutes on public transportation, particularly suburban trains and state-run buses.
This phenomenon, known as “Route Thala” or “Route Leader”, involves students forming gangs to assert dominance and attack students from other colleges.
These clashes often result in serious injuries.
In October 2024, a violent altercation between students from Presidency College and Pachaiyappa’s College at Moor Market Suburban Railway Station led to the death of a third-year Presidency College student named Sundar, who was severely injured in the fight.
Following Sundar’s death, Chennai police booked five students from Pachaiyappa’s College — Easwar, Chandru, Yuvraj, Kamaleswar, and Hariprasad — on murder charges.
Authorities have identified this culture as a major contributor to student gang rivalries in Chennai colleges, often escalating into street fights and instilling fear among commuters.
Each bus or train route is controlled by a “Route Thala,” a final-year student who has commuted on that route for at least three years. These individuals distinguish themselves through unique attire and are expected to manage gang conflicts.
This culture reportedly began in the early 1990s when students modified the lyrics of popular movie songs to taunt rival colleges.
In response, students from other institutions countered with their own songs, escalating tensions into physical confrontations along public transport routes.
Despite continued efforts by Chennai police to monitor and dismantle these student gangs in coordination with college principals, such violent incidents remain a persistent issue on suburban train and bus routes.
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