OU students now rally for peace

Hyderabad, Jan 21: Over 500 girl students of Osmania University joined their university-mates in a peace rally taken from the Arts College to the main gate of the University on Thursday in protest against the police lathi-charge on them on Wednesday.About 1,500 students, shouting ‘Jai Telangana’ slogans, proceeded to the main entrace of the University. Emotions ran high at the scene of Wednesday’s violence between the police and the students, where police had to resort to force to control students who pelted stones at them.

Some students were seen venting out their anger with cries of ‘police down down’ and ‘long live Telangana martyrs’.At the Arts College, some students drew pictures of Telangana student martyrs Srikanth and Venugopal Reddy.Addressing the gathering, Students Joint Action Committee leader Daruvu Ellanna reiterated that they would not back down nor stop their struggle of achieving a separate Telangana state till the government gives in to their demand.

Amid slogan-shouting and frequent applause, he said the motto of the students is ‘Do or Die’.Mr Ellanna appealed to the students that they should not resort to suicides as every life is precious for the struggle.Banks and administrative offices on the campus were closed while police maintained a tight vigil at the entrances to the campus. Unlike Wednesday, police let in media persons and students with valid identity cards into the campus after thorough frisking.