A few boys of DVS College in Shivamogga joined the girls in protesting against restrictions on wearing hijab on February 17. The boys maintained that they too would not attend classes if girls with hijab were not allowed to attend classes.

Many girls with hijab reached the gates of the college, and they were stopped by the staff. The college staff and police tried to convince them to attend classes after removing the hijab. As they refused to budge, they were not allowed inside. A few boys argued that the girls had been wearing hijab all these years, and they should be allowed to attend classes.

The police asked the students to leave the college premises if they were not attending the classes as the district administration had imposed prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC within a 200-metre radius of all colleges.