Students demand police withdrawal, land registry under university
Hyderabad: University of Hyderabad (UoH) students remained defiant in their protest against the alleged encroachment of university land, now in its third consecutive day. Police detained multiple demonstrators, including student leaders and activists.
At the administration block, students formed human chains, sat on the ground, and shouted slogans condemning the land auction and waved banners
A group of students from the social sciences department scribbled protest songs and writing slogans on chart paper. “They think we’ll back down, but they have no idea what this land means to us,” said Karunya B., a postgraduate student.
Police intervened and dragged away several demonstrators. Tensions escalated as officers attempted to push back students near the east gate. Several protesters alleged that police resorted to lathi charges, with some showing bruises as proof. “They hit my legs and shoved me on to the pavement. What crime are we committing by standing up for our own campus,” asked Meher, a first-year student.
Among those detained were members from the CPI, who had joined the protest in solidarity. The detained students were individuals taken to undisclosed locations.
As news of the detentions spread, students began a sit-in protest at the main gate. “This is no longer just about land, this is about our right to protest,” said Raghav, a student leader from the protest site.
At the protest site, demonstrators attempted to march towards the Kancha Gachibowli land, where bulldozers and earthmovers have been deployed to clear the area. Police stationed there blocked the students’ path, leading to further confrontations. BJP leader Chikoti Praveen, who had arrived in support of the protesters, was also detained.
Amidst reports that leaders from the BRS were planning to visit the university, authorities tightened security across the campus. Additional police personnel were deployed at the residences of key BRS figures, including working president K.T. Rama Rao and senior leader T. Harish Rao. Security was also ramped up around the 400-acre site.
Despite the growing unrest, the excavators continued their work. By nightfall, the sound of machinery spread across the campus. “They’ve already cleared over 50 acres in just two days. At this rate, there will be nothing left by the end of the week,” said a research scholar in environmental science, who was documenting the destruction.
The administration remained largely silent, barring a statement from the UoH registrar who reiterated that no survey had been conducted and that any land transfer would require approval from the university’s Executive Council, chaired by the President. But students were far from reassured. “If they really had no hand in this, why are they letting JCBs roam free on campus,” asked Ramesh, an undergraduate student who had boycotted classes to join the protest.
