Students detained for bid to enter HCU seeking VC's removal

Hyderabad: Fresh protests rocked the Hyderabad Central University (HCU) on Wednesday as members of the Left-affiliated student unions tried to force their way into the university campus demanding Vice-Chancellor Appa Rao Podile's removal over the suicide of Rohith Vemula, even as police took into preventive custody 83 of the protesters.

More than 40 students were detained outside the main gates of the Hyderabad Central university as they marched to demand the resignation and arrest of Vice Chancellor Appa Rao.

Many students are worried about not being able to finish their academic terms on time. They are also worried about the lack of campus placements in 2016, possibly as a fallout of the Rohith Vemula suicide controversy.

In a new development, Controller of Examination Professor V Krishna walked out of the Academic Council Meeting in the Varsity to express his solidarity with the agitators as protests by scores of students as part of 'Chalo HCU' were held at the gate of campus.

The 'Chalo HCU' call was given by Joint Action Committee (JAC) for Social Justice of HCU to intensify their ongoing agitation demanding removal and arrest of Podile, who resumed as VC on March 22 after being on leave for two months.

Some of the protesters, who claimed that Podile has no right to chair the AC meeting, climbed the main entrance gate even as police deployed in large numbers, immediately intervened and prevented them from entering the campus and took them into preventive custody.

Assistant Commissioner of Police Bhujanga Rao said there was no permission for outsiders to enter the HCU campus. "They tried to barge into the campus...In view of the law and order issue, police stopped them and took 83 of them into preventive arrest," he said.

Prashant, a JAC member said, "We will seek cooperation from different political parties and students and civil organisations to build pressure on BJP government for sacking Appa Rao."

The protesting students raised slogans against Podile and held banners asking him to leave the campus. They said Podile has been booked on charge of abetting suicide of Vemula, and questioned how he could chair university meetings.