Chennai, March 12 : The Greater Chennai Police have urged Pachaiyappa's College to take disciplinary action against nine students involved in a violent clash at Korattur railway station.

The incident occurred on March 10 when students from Pachaiyappa's College were travelling in a suburban train from Chennai to Arakkonam.

As the train stopped at Korattur station, students from a rival college spotted them and began pelting stones at their coach.

Terrified passengers took cover and immediately alerted the Railway Protection Force (RPF).

Fortunately, no passengers were injured in the incident.

Upon noticing the authorities, the students quickly fled the scene.

However, the Government Railway Police (GRP) launched an investigation and, based on Intelligence inputs, arrested nine students from Pachaiyappa's College.

The police suspect the attack was linked to ongoing student rivalries, a recurring problem on Chennai's suburban train and bus routes.

The clash is part of a larger trend known as 'Route Thala' or 'Route Leader' culture, where students form gangs based on their commuting routes and engage in violent confrontations with rival college groups.

This phenomenon has been a longstanding issue in Chennai, often leading to severe injuries and, in some cases, fatalities.

In October 2024, a brutal fight between students from Presidency College and Pachaiyappa's College at Moor Market Suburban Railway Station resulted in the death of Sundar, a third-year student from Presidency College.

Following the incident, Chennai Police arrested five Pachaiyappa's College students ' Easwar, Chandru, Yuvraj, Kamaleswar, and Hariprasad ' on murder charges.

The 'Route Thala' system operates with final-year students taking charge of specific bus and train routes. These students, having used the route for years, act as gang leaders, enforcing dominance and leading conflicts against students from other colleges.

The roots of this culture date back to the early 1990s when students began modifying popular movie songs to taunt rival colleges.

Over time, these harmless musical rivalries escalated into physical altercations.

Despite continuous efforts by the Chennai Police to dismantle these student gangs in collaboration with college administrations, violent clashes persist.

Authorities remain vigilant, emphasising stricter monitoring of public transportation and stronger disciplinary measures within educational institutions to curb student violence.

/IANS