HC rejects Govt plea against withdrawal of forces from campus

The Andhra Pradesh High Court on Tuesday rejected the state government’s petition challenging the order of the single-judge bench headed by Justice L Narasimha Reddy ordering immediate withdrawal of forces from the Osmania University campus. 

Taking a serious view of police excesses on students and journalists on the Osmania University campus, the Court directed the state government to withdraw forces from the university. 

The court sought to know how long the Government will continue to deploy the CRPF battalion on the campus. The Court opined that the violence on the campus was triggered by the highhandedness of CRPF personnel. 

Earlier, the court ruled that law and order should be left to the local station house officer (SHO). If the SHO needs any assistance, additional police should be deployed under the supervision of police commissioner, the court pointed out. 

Justice Reddy made it clear that special forces, tents and barbed wires should be removed from the campus.