Students alleged that the police used excessive force and detained one of the organisers, while the administration maintained silence.
Published Oct 08, 2025 | 11:21 AM ⚊ Updated Oct 08, 2025 | 11:21 AM
A student accused the police and security personnel of being biased towards ABVP
Synopsis: On October 7, 2025, a Palestine solidarity march at EFLU in Hyderabad turned chaotic after ABVP members allegedly tore posters and shouted profanities, leading to a physical scuffle with Students’ Union members. Police intervened, detaining one organiser and allegedly using excessive force. The administration remained silent, with accusations of bias towards ABVP, who continued casual activities on campus.
Tensions flared at the English and Foreign Languages University (EFLU) in Hyderabad on the night of Wednesday, 7 October, after a solidarity march in support of Palestine reportedly descended into chaos.
The march, which concluded peacefully, was followed by an altercation between members of the Students’ Union and the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP). The ABVP cadre allegedly tore down posters related to the march and shouted profanities about Palestine, sparking a physical scuffle between the two groups.
Videos from the scene show a tense atmosphere on campus, with police seen warning students with a lathi charge if they did not disperse. In another clip, officers can be seen herding students away.
University security and around ten police personnel were deployed to control the situation. Students alleged that the police used excessive force and detained one of the organisers, while the administration maintained silence.
“We began a solidarity march at about 6 pm, concluding it about 7.40 pm without any issues,” the Students’ Union vice president, Ardra A, told South First.
“After the march, ABVP cadre came near the mess, tearing up our posters and yelling profanities about Palestine. When our students tried to confront them, the situation escalated into a scuffle and turned physical,” she recalled.
Subsequently, security personnel and approximately 10 police officers were brought in to quell the escalating situation between around 30 ABVP cadres and the over 80 students.
“In the entire ordeal, one of our former students, Sagnik Mrudul, who headed the programme, was dragged on the road and detained by the police. Additionally, the police also got physical with the remaining students. They pushed and pulled our students, some of them females, without any women personnel present,” she reported.
However, she noted that the college administration, the police, and the security personnel seemed biased towards ABVP.
“Even now, the administration has remained silent. They have asked us to return to our hostels. However, the ABVP cadre are still playing cricket,” she lamented.
Furthermore, she also described how the security personnel and the police formed a ring around the ABVP personnel to protect them, while their female cadre continued to attack the remaining students.
“We don’t have supporting evidence, but a lot of our students also reported that they were pushed back using guns,” she added.
Meanwhile, when contacted by South First, EFLU administration refused to comment on the incident.
(Edited by Amit Vasudev)
