Hours after a clash broke out during an inter-university kabaddi tournament in Punjab involving students from Tamil Nadu and Bihar, Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin assured the safety of all 36 female students from Tamil Nadu. He also promised that the government would implement additional security measures for such events in the future.Addressing the media during an emergency press conference on Friday evening, Udhayanidhi, who also serves as the Minister for Sports Development, detailed the incident. He stated that 36 students, along with three managers and coaches from Annai Theresa University, Periyar University, and Alagappa University, had traveled to Punjab to participate in the tournament.
The incident occurred during a match between Darbhanga University and Annai Theresa University on Friday morning when a dispute over a point escalated. āAs soon as we received information about the issue, we contacted the delegation over the phone. Coach Pandirajan was taken for inquiry by the police there. However, officials from the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu (SDAT) promptly contacted the local Collector and Superintendent of Police to ensure the students’ safety,ā Udhayanidhi said.
He further confirmed that the tense situation was defused and that Coach Pandirajan, who was briefly detained, had been released. āI personally spoke to Coach Kalaiarasi over the phone immediately after the incident. All necessary steps were taken to protect the students, and there is no need for anyone to worry,ā he added.
The Deputy Chief Minister assured that the Tamil Nadu government would continue to prioritize the safety of students participating in such tournaments and take proactive measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.