Many UoH students injured after ABVP-SFI clash turns violent

Hyderabad: Tensions flared in the University of Hyderabad (UoH) campus with a series of clashes between activists of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and the Students' Federation of India (SFI) leading to several students being hospitalised on Wednesday night.

The clashes, which saw the use of blades and knives. erupted at a farewell party and escalated over the past four days.

According to reports, the confrontation began when some students voiced objections to communally sensitive songs being played at the party, which led to physical assaults. The situation worsened on Wednesday night as armed individuals allegedly stormed the hostels and began attacking the inmates indiscriminately.

Ateeq Ahmen, president of the UoH Students Union and member of the Students Federation of India, alleged, "Many armed men barged into rooms, attacking anyone they confronted and also those who tried to mediate."

The attacks left at least 15 students injured, with 10 sustaining serious injuries. Although eight of them were discharged from a hospital in Chandanagar on Thursday afternoon, two were still undergoing treatment.

Conversely, the ABVP has reported that their members were also victims of targeted assaults by SFI affiliates. "Our karyakartas, including Jaiswal and Siddhanth Shukla, suffered brutal attacks by SFI goons, an act we see as barbaric and a threat to civil society," stated an ABVP spokesperson. The ABVP maintained that such violence undermines educational sanctity.

Both groups have accused each other of inciting violence and approached the police to file complaints against one another. However, as of now, no First Information Reports (FIRs) have been filed by the authorities.

An ABVP member said, "We condemn the attacks and demand a safe academic space. Violence is not a solution to ideological conflicts."

At the same time, a member of SFI stressed, "Immediate action is necessary against those who initiated this cycle of violence. The administration needs to ensure the safety of all students."

The varsity administration is yet to react to the incidents.