Kochi: The police have initiated a probe into the midnight clash between a section of lawyers and students of Maharaja's College, Ernakulam, even as tension persisted on the bordering court and college campuses.

The lawyers and the students, reported to be mostly SFI activists, came to a faceoff at midnight on Thursday. At least 15 people from both sides were injured in the clash. SFI Maharajas' unit president Adil is among those injured and admitted to the hospital.

The confrontation took place amid the annual celebrations of the Ernakulam Bar Association. Both the lawyers' body and the students have given contradicting statements about the issue, blaming each other of provocation and misbehaviour.

Bar Association office-bearers said Maharajas' students used to come to the annual celebrations and have food from the event. "Yesterday also they came to our function and had food. Though we had arranged more food anticipating this, we could not serve all our members. We did not object to the students having food. However, they stayed back during the art performances of our members and created problems. Then one of our former secretaries and a current office-bearer intervened and sent the students out. Around 12.30 am, when the event ended, a group of students gatecrashed and started attacking us," Ernakulam Bar Association president Anto Thomas told the media on Friday.

SFI district president Asish S Anand said the students protested after some lawyers who were drunk entered the college campus and misbehaved with female students who were engaged in preparations for an event. 

On Friday, another clash erupted between the two groups. TV channels showed visuals of the lawyers throwing stones at the college campus. The Bar Association marched to the Central ACP's office, demanding action against the students.

Central ACP C Jayakumar said the police would record the statements of all those who were injured in the clash and take further steps.