Coimbatore : Tension prevailed for some time today at a function where Animal Husbandry Minister, Uduamalai K Radhakrishnan was distributing free laptops to the students at Palladam in Tirupur District. A 500-strong group of students, who had passed out two years back also demanded free laptops due to them.

Radhakrishnan had arrived to hand over the laptops to 4,179 students of nine government higher secondary schools. About 500 students, who passed out in 3016-17 also came to the venue, demanding their laptops, pending for the last two years.

When they were stopped from meeting the Minister, there were heated arguments.

As the minister left the venue without talking to them, the irate students squatted on main road, resulting in disruption of traffic, police said.

Later, Radhakrishnan met the students at the guest house and assured them that they would get their by August 2.

Meanwhile, Local Administration Minister, S P Velumani distributed laptops to 2,190 students of different schools in and around the city, worth Rs 2.68 crore.

Velumani said that 14,585 eleventh standard students and 14,781 12th standard students were given free laptops during 2018-19 valued at Rs 30.04 crore.

Similarly, 15,231 students from 11th standard were given laptops so far in 2019-20, he said.