Hyderabad: Attack on Osmania University student takes political colour

HYDERABAD: The Osmania University (OU) witnessed midnight drama between rival student groups on Wednesday which took a political colour the following day. The incident comes ahead of the soon to be conducted MLC election for the Mahbubnagar-Hyderabad-Rangareddy Graduates Constituency. 

Suresh Yadav, a law student who was earlier affiliated with the ABVP, alleged that he was beaten up on Wednesday midnight inside the hostel room where he is residing, by a group of students who are followers of TRS MLA Balka Suman, a former OU student. 

Soon after the incident, Yadav filed a police complaint with OU Police Station. The police has registered a case of theft, unlawful assembly and voluntarily causing hurt, under the sections 379, 143 and 323 read with 149 of the IPC. 

Speaking to the media on Thursday, Yadav said that he was sleeping in the room after finishing dinner when around 20 members of the TRS MLA's followers broke into his room armed with rods, sticks and beer bottles around midnight and attacked him. He also alleged that they damaged some items inside the room and even took money from his wallet. 

Though the university has not allowed any student to stay in the campus since the lockdown, there are around 200-300 students living in university hostels in violation of university rules.

On Thursday, many students belonging to various organisations held a protest in front of the Arts College in the university. They tore a large banner hung in the college with birthday wishes for another former OU student and TRS MLA, Gadari Kishore. 

BJP MLC N Ramachander Rao visited the Arts College to express his support. "I condemn the cowardly attack on Mr Suresh Yadav, a law student at Osmania University by TRS workers who were illegitimately celebrating an MLA's birthday in the campus. Mr Suresh is often known to voice his opinions on various contemporary issues," he tweeted.