University of Hyderabad tense after scuffle

Hyderabad: Tension prevailed on University of Hyderabad campus following a scuffle between two groups past midnight on July 16/17. Both the sides claimed injuries and hospitalisation of their respective friends.

One of the groups alleged that Kashmiri students were spoiling the atmosphere of the campus with their separatist agenda. As a precaution, police and paramilitary forces kept vigil at the gates of University of Hyderabad.

During the previous night, one of the students who was mistaken to be a Kashmiri was beaten up allegedly by a group of right wing students, while he was returning from a movie screening on Carl Sagan, an inspiration of Rohit Vemula, organised on the campus late on Saturday.

An M Phil student, Amol Singh, hailing from Punjab was returning from NRSNX hostel along with two other friends past midnight and a huge group of right-wing students both regular and passed out encountered the trio who were on bike. One of the group’s members dashed against the vehicle of Amol and an argument ensued.

Later, he was pushed to the ground and some of the group’s members allegedly thrashed and pounded him, while allegedly abusing him presuming him to be Kashmiri student. “They mistook me to for a student supporting separatists on the campus,” Amol Singh told media.

Amol was shifted to a private hospital in the early hours of Sunday after he fell unconscious in the attack. “They kicked me. I got a muscle tear on the leg and internal injuries on face, back, stomach and neck,” he said, while lying in the hospital.

Meanwhile, the Telangana unit of ABVP has demanded the immediate arrest of some students of University of Hyderabad from Jammu and Kashmir for allegedly raising anti-India slogans and expressing support to J&K terrorists during a protest programme against the recent killing of a militant.

Parishad secretary L Ayyappa said in a statement on Sunday that students from J&K had also attacked some students who raised counter-slogans, resulting in serious injuries to Kailasam, one of the students. He was admitted to Care Hospital in Hitec City for a leg surgery. Ayyappa alleged that the J&K students also attacked some students at Pranay Hostel on Sunday morning, leading to injuries to Sushil. The ABVP leader said a complaint has been lodged with the Miyapur police in connection with the attack.

The authorities of HCU and police officials from Gachibowli police station went into damage control mode after students on both sides knocked on the doors of police station in the evening.

They were cautious about revealing the facts, given the sensitivity of the situation. Gachibowli Inspector J Ramesh Kumar along with other junior police officials began an investigation in to the matter. “I am still ascertaining facts on the incident that has happened inside HCU; we are investigating,” said the inspector.

Refusing to confirm the incidents on the campus, Prof Vipin Srivatsava informed The Hans India that the situation was now under control. “Things are under control. All the students are all safe and sound and there is no need for parents to get worried,” he said.