Hyderabad, Jan 19: Venugopala Reddy, an MCA student of Lalita Engineering College, Uppal, doused himself with kerosene before setting himself ablaze and died of burns on Tuesday. The incident took place in front of the Tagore Auditorium on the Osmania University campus.The student also left a suicide note which stated that he took the extreme step fearing that the Centre will not yield to the demand of separate statehood for Telangana.In view of Venugopala Reddy’s death, tension mounted on the OU campus.
The police are keeping the media away from the campus and the police forces have been deployed in large numbers.The Joint Action Committee of OU students observed a two-minute silence for the student and took out a motor-cycle rally mourning his death. The JAC also appealed to all the students against taking such extreme steps.Telugu Desam Party senior leader Nagam Janardhan Reddy reached the OU campus on learning that a student had committed suicide.
He said no one should have any apprehensions about the formation of Telangana. Telangana will get the statehood, but the people should exercise their restraint and have patience and not get carried away by emotions.``Now, we have taken up the agitation. The students can concentrate on their studies and agitate in a peaceful manner for separate Telangana,'' the TDP leader said.