Tensions at the University of Hyderabad rise as students protest the detention of peers over the Telangana government's plan to auction 400 acres of ecologically sensitive land, worsened by bulldozer operations on Ugadi
Published Mar 31, 2025 | 6:06 PM ⚊ Updated Mar 31, 2025 | 6:06 PM
University of Hyderabad protested the auction of 400 acres
Synopsis: Telangana police arrested University of Hyderabad scholars Erram Naveen and Rohit Bondugula on 30 March during protests against the proposed Kancha Gachibowli land auction. Charged under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, their arrest sparked outrage. The Students’ Union urged unity and caution, assuring students that a course of action would be decided after consulting stakeholders.
Telangana police arrested Erram Naveen, a PhD scholar from the Department of Political Science, and Rohit Bondugula, an IoE postdoctoral fellow at the University of Hyderabad, on the evening of Sunday, 30 March.
The two were among 52 students detained during protests against the Telangana government’s proposed land auction in Kancha Gachibowli.
While the other students were released, Naveen and Bondugula were held at Gachibowli police station. Later that night, they were informed that an FIR had been registered against them, leading to their formal arrest.
The scholars have been charged under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including Section 329(3)(Criminal trespass), 18(1)(voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons), 132(assault or criminal force to deter a public servant from discharging duty), 191(3) (being armed with a deadly weapon, 351(3)(criminal intimidation) of Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita.
In response, the Students’ Union released a statement urging students to remain united. “One student and one alumnus are still in custody as the police have arbitrarily filed an FIR on them last night. Considering the gravity and sensitivity of the situation, the Union is consulting various stakeholders regarding the course of action. Till then, we request you to not resort to any unprompted action. We will intimate the course of action to the community at the earliest. At this crucial time, we request students to remain united and stand strong against undemocratic actions on campus.”
Tensions at the University of Hyderabad remain high as students continue their day-long sit-in protest, demanding the release of their detained peers. The demonstrations erupted after the Telangana State Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (TSIIC) moved to auction 400 acres of land, considered ecologically sensitive. The situation escalated further when bulldozers arrived for clearing operations on Ugadi, the Hindu New Year.
Police have maintained a heavy presence around the university, with gates being intermittently opened and closed, adding to the growing unrest on campus.
“Naveen was arrested last night, but we were not informed about it until 11:30 pm. When we arrived at the police station, we found out that an FIR had been filed against him, and the police were preparing to produce him before a magistrate today. Initially, we thought he was only detained, but later we realized he had been formally arrested,” Siva Durga, a SFI told South First.
He said that “Naveen is a PhD scholar from the Department of Political Science and is currently in his sixth year of research. He is a registered student at the university. Rohit, on the other hand, was an IoE postdoctoral fellowship (PDF) scholar, but his tenure officially ended today.”
Meanwhile, the students also alleged that one of them also got assaulted while getting detained. “Rohith was punched in the face, causing swelling, and was initially denied medical treatment. It was only after we went to the police station at midnight that they took him to a hospital,” Sravan, ABVP leader from campus told South First.
He explained that after the students were detained at different police stations and later released, they returned to the university—only to realise that some of them were missing. “No one had any information about them. All the other students had come back to campus, but Rohith was unaccounted for. Eventually, we found him at Gachibowli police station.”
The students also demanded medical attention for Rohit Bondugula, who was reportedly in poor health. “We insisted that the police take Rohit to the hospital because his condition was not good at all. Eventually, they agreed.”
As of now, the students are in discussions with the university administration and police, seeking the release of the detained scholars. “They have not been released yet. Since today is a holiday, they are planning to send them to jail on remand instead of producing them before a magistrate. We are trying all possible channels to resolve this, but we don’t know what will happen next. We are actively working on it and will have more updates in a few hours,” Sravan said.
Regarding legal support, Siva mentioned that the students were attempting to secure station bail to prevent the two from being taken to court. “We are still at the police station, trying to convince the authorities to grant them bail. We have reached out to a lawyer who is familiar with the case, and we are coordinating with him for legal assistance if needed.”
(Edited by Ananya Rao)
