Hyderabad university protest: Students oppose land sale, 53 detained

Tensions rise at Hyderabad University as students protest bulldozers clearing land for an IT park, opposing the sale; police detain 53 protesters amid clashes

A protest erupted at the University of Hyderabad on Monday as students rallied against the Telangana government’s plan to auction 400 acres of land near the campus for an IT park. The demonstration, triggered by the arrival of bulldozers, led to the detention of 53 students, who were later released.  

 

Bulldozers spark outrage  

Tensions flared when bulldozers were brought in to clear the land, prompting students to intervene, who feared that it was the first step toward auctioning the area. Protesting students climbed onto the machines, raised slogans against the police, and demanded an immediate halt to the clearing operations.

 

The state government, however, defended its decision, stating that the land — located at Kancha Gachibowli — was intended for IT sector development and had no ties to the university. Despite this, students and faculty members voiced concerns about the environmental impact and potential encroachment on university territory.  

 

Clashes between protesters and police  

Videos from the protest showed students chanting “go back” as they attempted to block the bulldozers. Another group marched while shouting slogans such as “police raj murdabad”. Videos on social media also captured clashes between the police and protesters, with officers seen dragging students into police vans.  

 

Students beaten with batons, says BRS

The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), led by former Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao, condemned the police action, alleging excessive force was used against students.

 

The party said that bulldozers were deployed under police protection to flatten the land, and students opposing this move were beaten with batons.

 

The party further alleged that female students were mistreated. “Girls were crying that their clothes were torn, but they were ignored and taken to the police station. About 200 people were arrested. On Sunday, when police officers began levelling 400 acres of land belonging to the university, they displayed extreme harshness against students resisting the move,” the BRS stated.  

 

Targetting the Congress government, the BRS said, “This is a market of betrayal, not a ‘mohabbat ki dukaan’ (shop of love),” a reference to Rahul Gandhi’s campaign slogan from the Lok Sabha elections last year. The party accused the Congress of hypocrisy, saying, “Rahul Gandhi preaches with a copy of the Constitution in hand, but his government is doing the opposite in Hyderabad Central University.”  

 

Students union condemn police action

The University of Hyderabad Students’ Union (UoHSU) condemned police action, calling it excessive and unwarranted. They accused the state of encroaching on university land and described the bulldozing as an assault on the institution’s environmental and territorial integrity.  

 

The Joint Action Committee (JAC), comprising student unions, faculty, and workers’ associations, has demanded legal action to halt the land auction. Protesters insist that the land should be officially registered in the university’s name to prevent its sale.  

 

Meanwhile, Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy dismissed the allegations, claiming students were being misled. He said that the land falls within the city’s IT corridor and has no connection to the university.

 

[With agency inputs]