Hyderabad, March 11: The Osmania University campus was back on the boil on Thursday, as students fought pitched battles with police after they were prevented from going to join the Million March at Tank Bund. However, hundreds of OU students managed to sneak out of the highly fortified campus and made their way to Tank Bund.
A student even tried to end his life by consuming pesticide there. In the campus, students clashed at both entrances, the NCC and towards OU police station till late in the evening as police lobbed tear gas shells and fired stun grenades to disperse agitating students. Around 11.40 a.m, hundreds of students from Kakatiya University, Warangal joined with the OU crowd and took out a rally from the Arts College towards the NCC gate. Police locked the main gate to prevent them from coming out of the campus.
Students, however, managed to pull down the huge gate and forced their way out. They even pulled two huge iron barricades into the campus. As police prevented students from going ahead, a scuffle ensued and the latter started pelting stones on police, prompting the latter to lob tear gas and stun grenades. Students dispersed into nearby lanes and colleges only to regroup again to clash with police. Many others made their way out in the melee through Ram Nagar and Jamia Osmania routes to reach the Tank Bund.
Meanwhile, several Telangana teacher organisations and others joined the protest by the students. In the melee, Prof Gali Vinod Kumar, a member of the peace committee was allegedly roughed up by police. Vinod Kumar protested their high-handed behaviour and picked up an argument. He later left the place after senior officials intervened and apologised to him. Students who had dispersed after fighting a pitched battle for nearly two hours regrouped at the B-hostel again and rained stones on OU police station. Police had to enter the campus with the Rapid Intervention Vehicle and lob tear gas shells to disperse students.
Earlier, Sampath Naik, who is presently pursuing MBA in the varsity consumed pesticide on Tank Bund. He was immediately shifted to a hospital and his condition is said to be stable. Naik is said to be a key member of the OUJAC (Independent) group. Meanwhile, Shiva, a student of Nizam College tried to set himself ablaze in his hostel room but was prevented by other students.
-Agencies