A large number of students are protesting at the Indian Institute of Technology or IIT Madras against an attack on a research scholar who participated in a "beef fest" earlier this week and will meet the Dean of the elite institute this morning. The beef fest was organised to protest against the Centre's new cattle rules, which the students say infringe on their right to eat what they want. There have been similar protests in Kerala and Karnataka and several state governments have said they will not implement the ban on the sale of cattle for slaughter at animal markets.