Police arrested as many as 30 DYFI and SFI members who tried to lay siege to the US consulate located in Begumpet on Thursday to protest against the arrest of Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragade in the US.
Tension gripped the area after a scuffle ensued between police and the protesters when the former tried to enter the Consulate premises.
Raising slogans against the US government and armed with placards and flags demanding immediate release of Devyani, the student leaders and the organisation representatives came to the US consulate.
As a precautionary measure, the police beefed up security and set up barricades to prevent untoward incidents. Minutes after the protesters reached the Consulate, police detained the agitators. Irate protesters squatted there shouting against the US government’s action. Later they tried to storm the Consulate premises by breaking the police cordon. Police resorted to mild lathicharge and arrested the DYFI, SFI representatives and shifted them to police station.
Following the incident, police posted heavy forces in and around the US consulate and set up barricades.