HYDERABAD: The protest over the land dispute at Kancha Gachibowli intensified on Thursday as students of the University of Hyderabad launched a hunger strike.
At least 10 students began the strike, which will be observed in a relay, with others joining in succession. The students demanded the withdrawal of all JCBs from the site and an immediate halt to the felling of trees.
Meanwhile, police action continued on the campus, with officers lathi-charging and dragging students as they attempted to disperse the protesters.
Police forces have set up camp at the university’s main gate, maintaining a strict vigil and restricting the entry of passers-by into the campus.
The protests at the University of Hyderabad (UoH) erupted after students opposed the Telangana government’s plan to develop IT infrastructure on 400 acres of land at Kancha Gachibowli, which they claim belongs to the university.
The situation escalated when land clearing began on Ugadi, just days before a High Court PIL on the issue. Students, led by the UoH Students’ Union, accused the administration of betraying them by allowing police and JCBs onto campus.
They demanded the removal of security forces, a written assurance that the land would be registered under the university, and transparency in land-related documents.
As protests grew, students and faculty staged rallies, but police responded with lathi charges, injuring several students. Videos of the crackdown, including police dragging female protesters, spread online, intensifying outrage.
The university’s Teachers Association joined the agitation, but the administration largely remained silent, only denying claims of any official land demarcation. Meanwhile, students accused them of failing to protect university land and facilitating government actions.
With police restricting movement on campus, students declared an indefinite strike, boycotted classes, and vowed to continue until their demands were met. The situation remains tense, with the administration’s inaction fuelling further anger and uncertainty over the fate of the disputed land.
