students-faculty-clash-with-police-over-uoh-land-row

A protest rally by students and faculty members of the University of Hyderabad (UoH) against the Telangana government's plan to develop a 400-acre land parcel in Kancha Gachibowli was stopped by police on Wednesday.

 

Led by the UoH Teachers Association, the rally commenced from the Ambedkar Auditorium towards East Campus in solidarity with the protesting students. However, the police had barricaded the entire East Campus area, while heavy machinery was deployed at the disputed site.

 

As the protesters attempted to advance, police intervened, reportedly using “mild force” to disperse them. Demonstrators raised slogans such as "Police go back," while some alleged that law enforcement resorted to a lathi charge against both students and faculty members.

 

A police official, however, refuted these claims, stating, "They were prevented from taking out the rally."

 

The University of Hyderabad Students’ Union (UoHSU) and allied organisations have launched an indefinite protest, declaring a boycott of classes from 1 April.

 

They demand the removal of police personnel and earth-moving equipment from the campus, arguing that the proposed development threatens environmental conservation in the area.

 

Tensions escalated on 31 March when the Telangana government reaffirmed its claim over the 400-acre land, stating that it belonged to the state and not the university.

 

However, the UoH Registrar disputed this assertion, maintaining that the land’s boundary had not been finalised.

 

Amid the mounting opposition, Telangana Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka and Industries Minister D Sridhar Babu—both alumni of UoH—asserted on Tuesday that "the government has not taken even an inch of the university's land."

 

The dispute continues as student groups, environmental activists, and faculty members remain resolute in their opposition to the state’s development project.