Stir against GO-55: Telangana woman constable on two-wheeler pulls down protesting ABVP leader by hair

The students said that the ABVP joined the protest on Wednesday, and they were heading towards the contested 100-acre bio-diversity park around 12:30 pm.

“The ABVP students were protesting and marching towards the bio-diversity park when the police intervened and stopped them from proceeding further,” Meesala Srija, a PhD student told South First.

The protesters said two women constables arrived at the scene on a two-wheeler, and the pillion pulled Jhansi by the hair and the student fell.

A video of the incident has been circulated on social media. While the constable was barely audible, Jhansi could be heard asking, “Do you have any shame? Why are you pulling me by my hair?”

In a shocking incident, an LLM student and @ABVPVoice Secretary of @PjtsauIndia was aggressively dragged by the hair by a policewoman of @psrjnr_cyb — recently adjudged as the 'best-performing police station' in the country by the @HMOIndia.

The incident is said to have taken… pic.twitter.com/qtQaRCUVeu

— South First (@TheSouthfirst) January 25, 2024

Kalyani Yadav, a member of the ABVP told South First that her friend Jhansi suffered injuries on the nape of the neck and was taken to a hospital.

Cyberabad Police Commissioner Avinash Mohanty has ordered a departmental inquiry after the video of the “improper action” came to his notice. A senior officer of the Rajendernagar Police Station told South First that the Commissioner had sought a report.

The ABVP said that it would raise the before the Telangana DGP Ravi Kumar and the National Commission for Women (NCW).

Also Read: GO-55 controversy: PJTSAU students oppose new Telangana HC and seek Governor, CJ intervention

Opposition demands action

Condemning the incident, BRS MLC K Kavitha urged the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to immediately initiate a probe. She also sought an apology from the Cyberabad police.

“The recent incident involving Telangana police is deeply concerning and absolutely unacceptable. Dragging a peaceful student protester and unleashing abrasive behaviour on the protestor raises serious questions about the need for such aggressive tactics by the police,” Kavitha posted on X.

“This arrogant behavior demands an unconditional apology from the Telangana Police. Urging the Human Rights Commission to take swift and strict action against those involved. This behaviour cannot become a norm and must be condemned by all alike,” she added.

The recent incident involving Telangana police is deeply concerning and absolutely unacceptable. Dragging a peaceful student protester and unleashing abrasive behaviour on the protestor raises serious questions about the need for such aggressive tactics by the police.

This… pic.twitter.com/p3DH812ZBS

— Kavitha Kalvakuntla (@RaoKavitha) January 24, 2024

Telangana BJP president and Union Minister G Kishan Reddy termed the incident “inhumane” perpetrated by negligent police officials. He also demanded action against the police personnel responsible.

“Strongly condemn the inhumane actions perpetrated by negligent police officials. This incident in Hyderabad reflects the Congress’s autocratic rule and is highly condemnable. Urgent and decisive measures must be taken against those responsible for this objectionable behaviour towards protesting student leaders,” he said on X.

Also Read: 1,174 hectares of forest land handed over to Indian Navy for 2nd VLF station

Why are students protesting?

The Telangana government issued the GO-55 on 31 December, which came to light on 5 January. It allocated 100 acres for the construction of a new high court complex in the Premavathipet and Budwel villages of Rajendernagar Mandal.

However, the students claimed that the land houses a bio-diversity park, a drone academy, and a medicinal and aromatic plant research station, besides serving as a habitat for various endangered species.

“The area serves not only as an essential academic and research resource but also contributes significantly to the environmental sustainability of Hyderabad and the entire Telangana,” K Aravind, a PhD scholar at the Department of Plant Pathology, told South First.

The students add that deforestation would have a direct impact on Hyderabad because of the presence of huge ecological diversity in Rajendernagar, considered the lungs of Hyderabad.

Meanwhile, a student on Thursday claimed that the varsity administration was threatening students to call off the protest. “They are issuing circulars to our parents that if we do not call off the protest, they will terminate us. As a result, some students are leaving the protest due to fear.”

Of the 100 acres, around 35-40 acres belong to the PJTSAU and have been developed over the years as an agri-biodiversity zone for research and education purposes.

The remaining around 50 acres in Budwel has been in the possession of Sri Konda Laxman Telangana State Horticultural University (SKLTSHU).