ADILABAD: Police resorted to lathi-charge against the students of various unions when they tried to waylay Collector Sikta Patnaik’s vehicle at Komaram Bheem chowk in the Adilabad town on Monday. The students were staging a protest demanding that the state government set up Tribal University in Adilabad district. Some students suffered injuries in the incident.
The students were trying to submit a memorandum to the collector who was in the vehicle. To disperse the crowd and clear the road for the Collector’s vehicle to pass, the police resorted to lathi-charge. The students' efforts to give a memorandum to the collector proved to be futile.
Adilabad superintendent of police D. Uday Kumar Reddy, who was present at the scene, was seen instructing the police officials to disperse the students and if need be lathicharge them.
Thudumdebba extended solidarity with the students who were demanding that the state and central governments set up a Tribal University in the Adilabad since it was a long pending promise.
After a brief altercation between the police and students, the police chased away the students from the place. Students of various unions under the banner of Girijana University Sadhana Samiti took part in the protest.
The rumour mill is abuzz that leaders of a political party hijacked the students’ protests for their political gains and publicity. The students were left confused when a leader allegedly from the BJP appeared at the protest site and created a scene.
The students also staged a protest in front of the Two Town police station demanding that the police release the arrested student leaders, Adivasi leaders and leaders of various student unions.
