LUCKNOW, Sept. 3 -- A day after Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) leaders were lathicharged during a protest outside Shri Ram Swaroop Memorial University (SRMU) on Lucknow-Deva Road, Barabanki, the issue flared up on Tuesday with ABVP workers damaging a car near Qaiserbagh, even as chief minister Yogi Adityanath expressed displeasure over the lathicharge, ordered the removal of the CO responsible, and directed a probe into both the incident and the validity of SRMU's degree. After the CM's directives, top police authorities removed Barabanki CO (city) Harshit Chauhan, city Koywali inspector in-charge RK Rana, the Gadiya police outpost in-charge and sent them to police lines. Yogi asked Ayodhya divisional commissioner Rajesh Kumar to investigate the validity of the degree of the concerned college and sought a detailed report by Tuesday evening itself. Moreover, the CM instructed inspector general of police, Ayodhya range, Praveen Kumar to investigate the lathicharge incident. On Tuesday, ABVP workers gathered at Lucknow University campus and raised slogans against the police administration. The protest was called off after the CO announced the removal of the circle officer. ABVP workers claimed that in police action nearly a dozen workers, including 4-5 woman volunteers, were injured. They said ABVP volunteers staged a protest against the SRMU administration for irregularities, non-renewal of its law courses from the Bar Council of India, harassment of students and arbitrary fee collection. "When a delegation of students reached to meet vice chancellor Vikas Mishra, the university administration called police and lathicharged the protesting students," alleged state media convenor, ABVP Avadh province, Vikas Tiwari. Another ABVP Avadh province office-bearer Pushpendra Bajpai alleged the university has been playing with the future of students for a long time. They further alleged that when students Adarsh Pandey and Abhay Ram Tripathi raised questions on these issues, they were expelled from the university in an unconstitutional manner without giving any proper reason. The ABVP workers alleged that arbitrary fees were being charged from students and heavy fines were being imposed for late payment. Meanwhile, SRMU vice chancellor Vikas Mishra said on Monday, the ABVP leaders and workers staged a violent protest on the university premises. He said, "The student organisation did not give any information about this protest to the university administration in advance." When the student organisation started its agitation at 10:30 am, at the same time, the vice chancellor, the registrar and officials of the university reached the main gate and tried to talk to them, he said. "Some mischievous elements also tried to enter the girls' hostel. Ultimately, they were sent back to the main gate by the police. Protesters locked the main gate that led to commotion between protesters and parents who came to collect their wards," alleged SRMU chancellor Pankaj Agarwal. He alleged that one of the protesters thrashed a parent while the police tried to free the innocent parent from the protesters' grip. The police lost its cool and thrashed the protesters when they did not open the gate despite repeated requests from parents and SRMU administration, he added. Former LUSU president Bajrangi Singh Bajju expressed solidarity with the ABVP workers and condemned the police action against them. He along with the MLA Santosh Singh also visited the KGMU trauma centre to inquire about the well being of injured ABVP workers. SP chief Akhilesh Yadav posted a video of the lathicharge on X and wrote, "Lathicharge on students in Barabanki is a sign of government's failure and frustration." The Congress's student wing National Students' Union of India (NSUI) reached the hospital and extended full support to the injured ABVP workers. They alleged that the UP government wanted to suppress the youth power. NSUI's national convenor Vishal Singh said educational corruption, police hooliganism and repression are intolerable....