The raging controversy in the Hyderabad Central University (HCU), which got re-ignited with the return of the Vice-Chancellor P Appa Rao from a two month long hiatus, took a further turn with the students alleging that they were brutally beaten up in the police custody.
The details of how the students were beaten in police vans while being shifted to police station emerged through social media causing a fresh round of outrage against the university authorities as well as the Telangana State police.
Hyderabad Police rounded up 25 students and 2 professors following the ransacking of the office of the vice chancellor by the students demanding Appa Rao’s sacking for his alleged role in the suicide of a Dalit research scholar Rohith Vemula.
The students and professors were now languishing in Charalapally Central jail awaiting the hearing of their bail petition on Monday.
Photos of Uday Bhanu, one of the students beaten black and blue the police on the campus itself were shared on Facebook by his friends. They showed several lathi-wielding policemen thrashing him. Police violence left Uday so badly injured that he was kept in ICU of a hospital for two days.
The agitating students have also launched a Youtube channel “Justice For Rohith” to share the stories of police violence against them. “While we were physically dragged and beaten up by police, the university officials were watching from VC’s lodge as if they were watching a cricket match”, said a girl Avishpa Sengupta, student of MA Communication.
Many other girl students had complaints of sexual harassment by the men in uniform.
Andhra Pradesh State Human Rights Commission Friday issued a notice to the Vice Chancellor Appa Rao seeking a report by Saturday on the incident on the campus including the total blockade imposed on the university by closure of the mess facilities, water and electricity supply and disconnection of internet facilities for more than 48 hours.
The commission issued the notice on Friday on the complaint of Prof Pl Vishweshwar Rao, the leader of Aam Admi Party.
However, the university authorities have partially restored the water and power supply and also reopened the mess from Thursday in view of the large scale protests.
University officials said that Joint Action Committee of the administrative staff had decided to close the mess as a protest against the man-handling of its two members.
But the JAC blamed the Vice Chancellor for the closure of the mess forcing the students to starve.
Students also shared the details of police brutality with the political leaders who visited them in jail on Friday. Hyderabad Member of Parliament Asaduddin Owaisi strongly took a swipe at the police action. “I met the HCU students and 2 professors in Jail. I am shocked that police beat them in vans while being taken to the police station”, he said demanding their immediate release from jail and withdrawal of cases against them.
Radhika, mother of Rohith Vemula, talking to the reporters along with some other parents and teachers of HCU demanded immediate and unconditional release of those imprisoned. “The cases should be withdrawn against them. They were demanding justice for Rohith and action against the police beat them up brutally”, she said.
She also asked as to how Appa Rao can return as vice chancellor when a case was booked against him.
The arrest of the students has also left their families worried and anxious as they have not yet been officially informed about the condition of their wards. According to a report from Kerala, a 42-year old woman has expressed deep concern that her 19 year-old son studying at HCU was arrested but she was not informed about it. She came to know about the arrest through social media.
“Two months have passed since the case of abetment of suicide was registered but nobody was arrested or questioned”, she said demanding immediate arrest of Appa Rao.
P Anupama, professor of computer sciences also complained of police high handedness. “The police threatened to book a case of treason against us when we were protesting at the VC’s office. “Return of the vice chancellor to resume his duties on Tuesday had come as a shock to all of us”, she said.
Demanding the immediate withdrawal of police forces from the university, she said that there should be an independent probe into the incidents of Tuesday.
The happenings at the HCU have also evoked protests from the other parts of the country. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar also demanded quick resolution to the stand-off.
“Condemn brazen abuse of power and violent crackdown on students in Hyderabad. Urge Govts at Center and State to ensure quick resolution of the stand-off”, he tweeted on Friday.