Violence breaks out at Osmania campus

File Photo: Osmania University students damage a bus after violence broke out over the Telangana issue, in Hyderabad on Thursday.
 
HYDERABAD, January 6 (Agencies): Students agitated over the Srikrishna Committee report clashed with the para-military forces on Osmania University campus, set fire to a city bus on Thursday morning, forcing authorities to seal off the sprawling campus for general traffic. A senior police officer was injured in the heavy stone-pelting and over six students were injured in the lathicharge. The joint action committee of the students has given a bandh call on Friday to protest against the recommendations of Srikrishna committee.
Tension escalated on the campus after details of the Srikrishna committee report were made public and a group of students armed with sticks marched to the NCC gate on the Western side of the campus, where huge contingents of police forces were deployed in anticipation of trouble. Hurling of stones began the moment the students were prevented from getting out of the campus and after a brief spell of restraint, the para-military forces used lathis and lobbed teargas shells to disperse the agitated students.
As trouble broke out, police diverted vehicular traffic to other routes. That the situation would tense on Thursday was evident when a group of unidentified persons stoned city buses and set fire to a bus near Law College late on Wednesday night. Another city bus which was sent to the spot to tow away the burnt bus, was intercepted and set on fire in front of Arts College on Thursday morning. Groups of students could be seen all over the campus and by 2.30 p.m. a students group which was marching towards the police station indulged in stone pelting on the police personnel.