Hundreds of agitating medical college students were rounded up by police at various places in Tamil Nadu for the second day today for either staging 'road rokos' or holding demonstrations against the government's decision to evict them from the hostels without adequate notice.

Besides arresting students in the state capital, arrests were also effected in Coimbatore, Salem, Madurai, Thanjavur and Tirunelveli, police said.

Since the last 14 days, the students have been protesting against the government's reported move to permit private medical colleges, suspension of stipend and hike in tuition fees.

The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) today said it was the democratic right of the student community to protest against "the doubtful and hasty decision of the government". In a press release the parishad condemned the "undemocratic" act of the government and said it would oppose any move to permit opening of private medical colleges in the state

In the meanwhile, the state government has said that the strike called by the medical students was illegal. This stand of the government comes after it held negotiations with the representatives of the striking medicos. The government has called for negotiations but there has been no response from the striking medicos.