UoH students spar over protest programme against J and K cops
HYDERABAD: University of Hyderabad, which witnessed violent protests following the death of Dalit scholar Rohith Vemula, was on the boil once again on Sunday as students of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) objected to a programme held to denounce the police action against protesters in Jammu and Kashmir. The clashes occurred opposite a hostel on the campus on Saturday night.
Amol Singh, an M Phil (political science) student, said that he was beaten up by members of ABVP. Meanwhile ABVP members alleged that Amol, and non-boarders beat up G Kailasam, an MA student, which left him with a fracture in his left leg. Both groups lodged complaints with the police.
Amol said a meeting was organised at the Shopping Complex on University of Hyderabad (UoH) campus on Saturday evening, condemning the police action against protesters in Jammu and Kashmir.
Nandanam Susheel Kumar, a PhD student at UoH, alleged that slogans were raised against the Indian Army at the meeting. Protesting the sloganeering, ABVP members took out a rally after the meeting ended.
"I, my brother Sumeel Singh, who stays outside the campus and a friend were walking towards the hostel. At around 11.30 pm, close to 30 ABVP members took out a rally on 12 bikes. A bike brushed one of us and when we questioned them, they verbally abused us. They confused me with a Kashmiri student. I was beaten up by the group," claimed Amol Singh.
He added that when he was sent to a private hospital, Susheel Kumar, his brother Nandanam Diwakar, and two others beat him up again. "I lodged a complaint against 30 people," Amol said. In his complaint addressed to Gachibowli Police, he named Susheel Kumar and his brother Nandanam Diwakar for beating and threatening him.
In January, Gachibowli police had registered cases against Susheel Kumar and others based on a complaint that they abetted the suicide of Rohith Vemula.
However, Susheel Kumar denied the allegations and said it was Amol, his brother and friends (non-boarders) who beat up Karan Palsaniya, ABVP-UoH president, and Kailasam.
"Kailasam's left leg got fractured. He will be operated on Monday," Susheel said. He added that a complaint was lodged with Miyapur Police, against Amol.
"A complaint was lodged. Cases are registered," said K Ramesh, inspector of Miyapur Police.