On Osmania University campus, dead man sparks off riot

Hyderabad: Osmania University came to a boil on Wednesday as there was a stand-off between 800-1000 university students and around 30 cops in riot control gear after a body was fished out of a water tank near the Arts College.

Some students who were studying near the tank informed the police that they could smell something foul. After the body was fished out, the police tried to take it away, which angered the students.

The students suspected that the  body was that of a university student who might have committed suicide in the tank and demanded an inquiry into the issue. Some students even said that they had seen a university identity card in the victim's pocket.

However, the police personnel claimed that the body was not of a student but that of one Bathula Silari Babu, a labourer from Manikeshwar Nagar who had been missing since March 21.

As the police informed the students about the identity of the victim and tried to take it away, the students started pelting stone. In the process 13 police officers, a few relatives of the victim and others were injured. Addl. DCP East Zone L.T. Chandrasekar suffered a fractured ankle.

Some students were taken into custody and accpording to the students, one of them was thrashed by the police at the station.Alampur MLA Sampath Kumar, who had visited the area, sat on a dharna along with the students demanding an inquiry into the issue.

However, after the stone pelting started, he was taken away by the police. The stand off between the students and cops continued for long as both parties kept provoking each other verbally.

The entrance of OU, the NCC Gate, was shut down following the incident.
Police said that up to five cases were registered against those involved in the violence and action would be taken as per law after identifying those responsible for the stone pelting, causing obstruction and injuries to police officers and relatives of the deceased.