Hyderabad, December 29: Amid high drama and stiff resistance, police have shifted all the 17 students of Osmania University, who have been on an indefinite fast for the past five days demanding separate Telangana State, to hospital. Some of them, however, are declining treatment and continuing their fast in the hospital.
The operation began around 2 a.m on Monday with policemen barging into the tents in front of the Arts College on the OU premises.
However, the students who anticipated the police action with the arrival of additional forces into the university on Sunday night, gathered in large numbers within no time and put up a stiff resistance. The police had to use mild force to disperse the students and shift 11 protesters on fast, including three whose condition has turned serious, to hospital for urgent medical attention. In the melee, six others on fast – Kalyan, Suresh, Praveen Reddy, Satyam, Venkatesh and Krishna – managed to sneak into the Arts College and lock themselves in rooms to continue the hunger strike. The police meanwhile removed the tents and shifted the material to the police station. As more students started gathering, the police left the place leaving the students inside the college building. Their attempt to once again enter the college in the morning was also foiled by the students.
With tension mounting, the police called in additional forces with water canons to take control of the situation.
However, the university professors mediated with the police and prevailed upon the student leaders to come out of the rooms and continue their fast in front of the college. In the noon, the police made their way into the hunger strike camp and shifted the remaining protestors also to hospital amid shouting of `Police Go Back’ slogans by students. A host of politicians reached the place and condemned the police action.
Congress MLA R Damodar Reddy, MLCs S Indrasen Reddy, Yadava Reddy, PRP MLAs Mahender Reddy and E Anil, TDP leaders M Narsimhulu, Revanth Reddy and E Peddi Reddy were among those who visited the Arts College.
Meanwhile, the OU Joint Action Committee has called upon the newly-elected corporators to resign in support of separate Telangana or face the consequences.
On the other hand, New PG Hostel students blindfolded themselves and took out a protest rally from their hostel to the Arts College urging the government employees and police to extend their support to the movement. Students of E2 hostel burnt the effigy of Congress chief Sonia Gandhi.
Outside the campus, tension prevailed at the Tarnaka crossroads when leaders of all parties from Jangaon in Warangal district, who formed into a JAC, arrived on more than 250 two-wheelers to express their solidarity with the fasting OU students but were prevented from entering the campus.
With the university authorities closing down hostels and messes, the students are forced to make alternate arrangements even as some pro-Telangana activists are extending their help. PRP legislator Mahender Reddy announced Rs 50,000 to arrange food for the students. “We have sent food packets for students on behalf of the Ranga Reddy Advocates JAC,” committee co-convenor Ganga Reddy has said.
–Agencies–