Telangana issue: OU campus tense as students clash with police

Tension prevailed on the

Osmania University (OU) campus here today when pro-Telangana

students pelted stones at police as they were prevented from

taking out a rally to the Secretariat.The police responded by lobbing teargas shells to

disperse the agitators who continued to hurl stones at brief

intervals, before fleeing in the varsity, officials said.Scores of pro-Telangana students converged at the Arts

College premises on the campus and tried to take out the rally

as part of 'Chalo Secretariat' call given by OU-JAC (joint

action committee) and Telangana Students JAC, demanding

formation of a separate Telangana state.However, police foiled their attempts as the

protesters were stopped near the NCC gate.Angered over this, the protesters raised slogans,

argued with police personnel and started pelting stones on

them. Police then retaliated by firing teargas shells.A cameraman of a local TV channel sustained head

injuries in the incident.A senior police officer said they were advising and

counselling the students to carry out their programmes in the

university premises itself and not venture out, as there was

no permission for the procession.However, the protesting students insisted that they be

allowed to take out the rally and said they also planned to

offer tributes to freedom fighter Konda Laxman Bapuji by

visiting 'Jaladrusyam', where he was cremated last week.Meanwhile, security has been stepped up in different

parts of the city with deployment of additional forces,

including central para-military forces, in view of the

proposed 'Telangana March' here on September 30, as police

anticipates violence.Rapid Action Force (RAF) personnel have also been kept

on standby around the OU campus.