The Andhra Pradesh High Court on Thursday censured the state police for using excessive force against students and journalists on the campus last week and asked them why the CBI should not be asked to probe the campus violence.
At least 40 students and the cameraman of a local news channel were injured in police action last week. The Joint Action Committee (JAC) on Telangana alleged that the police did not spare even the girl students.
Justice Narasimha Reddy took to task joint commissioner of police (security) P Anjaneylu, who appeared before the court, for poor handling of the situation. The court asked why an indiscriminate baton charge was ordered on students. The court asked the officer why girl students and mediapersons were also beaten up. The judge also wanted to know how many policemen were deployed on the campus and on whose orders.
Advocate general DV Sitarama Murthy informed the court that a detailed report on the incidents of Sunday evening and Monday morning on the campus would be submitted on March 1. Following his submission, the court adjourned the case.
The preliminary report prepared by Hyderabad Police claims hostel students of Osmania University and members of JAC on Telangana have been repeatedly provoking the police and paramilitary forces by pelting stones at them and then hiding in the hostels. The report says several police personnel including the additional commissioner of police were injured in the stone pelting.
Meanwhile, the Andhra Pradesh government has approached the Supreme Court against the direction of the high court asking it to move out paramilitary forces from Osmania University campus, the nerve centre of the separate Telangana state movement. The apex court, which posted the matter for hearing on Friday, asked the state government to come out with the answer as to who permitted the stationing of paramilitary forces on the campus.
?Our concern is about the installation of tents and barricades on the university campus. It does not show a good sign,? a Bench comprising Chief Justice KG Balakrishnan and Justices SH Kapadia and Aftab Alam said when the state government mentioned its petition for urgent hearing.
?Have you got the permission of the vice-chancellor (Osmania varsity) to have forces there on the campus?? the Bench asked.
The court also wanted to know if the state, as an alternative, could station the paramilitary forces at a nearby camp, if any.
In response to this suggestion, senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, representing the state government, said the police and paramilitary forces have been on the campus since December as some incident or the other was taking place over Telangana. He said the paramilitary forces were needed as the state cannot meet the requirement of force for maintenance of law and order.