Tension rapidly escalates at the University of Hyderabad (UoH) as resident students reportedly face supplies blockade enforced by the authorities in a bid to evacuate the premises.
Tussle between police and the student body transformed into a stand-off after a group of students picketed vice chancellor Appa Roa Podile’s residence on Tuesday to protest his return. The vice chancellor, who was under fire after the Dalit research scholar Rohith Vemula committed suicide in January, was on leave since 24 January.
Several students were taken into police custody and many others were reportedly assaulted by police forces. The police was summoned on Tuesday after the students vandalized the VC’s office.
According to reports, the hostel residents are bereft of food, water, electricity and other essential amenities. Some of the students used social media to inform others about the crisis-ridden campus. The police inside the campus today reportedly arrested students who volunteered to make food at the hostel’s ‘shop com’.
Just got news that those students who were busy with community cooking at North campus shop com got arrested by police!…
A certain section of students also reported that 37 students and 3 faculty members were allegedly missing and arrested by the police.
According to The Hindu, nearly 44 students were being treated in the university’s health care centre as a result of the police lathi-charge. Kanhaiya Kumar too had reached the university’s entrance but the police reportedly denied him entry following a request from the UoH’s registrar.
Kanhaiya had said that he will address the students from outside the campus gates if he is denied entry.
