Beef festival: Curfew crisis in Hyderabad's Osmania University after 16 students held, BJP MLA arrested
Hyderabad: Police on Thursday detained 16 students for planning the controversial 'beef festival' on Osmania University campus, while BJP MLA T Raja Singh, who was opposing the event, was also arrested. A 'curfew-like' situation prevailed on the campus with heavy police security being deployed to prevent any untoward incident.
A students' group had earlier declared that it would hold a 'beef festival' on the campus Thursday, coinciding with World Human Rights Day, while another group also announced its plan to organise a 'pork festival' the same day, which raised the possibility of confrontation.
"We detained last night eight key members of the group which announced the beef festival today. As per court order, we will not allow any festivals on the Osmania University campus," a police official told PTI.
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Assistant Commissioner of Police K Ram Bhupal Rao said that they arrested the BJP MLA from Goshamahal as a preventive measure to maintain law and order.
Raja Singh alleged that the KCR government was conducting the beef festival ‘to win Muslim community votes in the upcoming GHMC elections’. He added that he will stage a protest till the Government bans cow slaughter across the state.
Tension prevailed at Goshamahal ACP office, when scores of followers of Raja Singh tried to barge into the office.
Rajasingh said that he was arrested as per the orders of Hyderabad Police Commissioner. “With orders from Commissioner, ACO and taskforce, more than 100 Constables arrested." added Mr Raja Singh.
The legislator had vowed to stop the 'beef festival' and also announced that he along with other groups would perform a "Gau Puja" (cow worship) today.
Police deployed nearly 150 personnel in the University to avoid any untoward incidents. They blocked the entrance and exits of the campus and restricted entry of any new persons.
Osmania University students before police foiled a 2km planned run in support of a proposed ‘beef festival’ in the Campus in Hyderabad on Monday. (Photo: PTI)
A city civil court had passed the status quo order three days back, which amounts to staying the holding of the festivals, on a petition filed by an advocate.
The petition contended that these events are in violation of Cruelty Towards Animal Act and Cow Slaughter Act, and hurt the religious sentiments of the people.
Largescale violence was witnessed when beef festival was organised on the campus by a section of students in 2011, 2012 and 2014, said the petition.
On the University premises, police imposed restrictions on movement of people and vehicles.
Barricades were put up at all the vantage points of the institution and heavy police security was deployed. Police did not allow even regular morning walkers in the university on Thursday.
Osmania University, one of the oldest educational institutions of higher learning, has already clarified that activities unrelated to academics, including 'beef festival', 'pork festival' and 'gau-puja' would not be permitted on the campus.
