Meanwhile Osmania University campus was on the boil on Thursday as students clashed with police when their rally heading to join the Million March' was stopped at NCC Gate. Police resorted to lathi-charge and used tear gas shells to control the stone-pelting mobs, but the students continued to target the police near B-Hostel, showering stones for over five hours.

Four students, who sustained injuries in the incident, were treated at the health centre on the campus.The students kept attempting to get out through the NCC gate but were they were foiled every time. They expressed their frustration by pelting stones at the security men.

The students made the first attempt at 11 am when some 200 students took out a rally from the Arts College towards the NCC gate and tried to force their way through the police cordon. The police pushed them back when they reached the NCC gate, which provoked the students to hurl stones at the security men. The paramilitary forces retaliated with tear-gas at first and when the stone-pelting continued, resorted to a mild lathicharge.

The stand-off continued till 2.30 pm with the police firing tear-gas shells and stun-grenades into the crowd until the students backed off and went into their hostels.Around 3.30 pm the students resumed their onslaught. They gathered at B hostel and stormed the security men posted at the Osmania University police station. Beer bottles were flung at the police who used a rapid intervention van to quell the mob.

The cops have had to be on their toes throughout the day as the students refused to back down completely and gathered together every 10 minutes to pelt stones. This continued till the last reports came in.

Meanwhile, Mr Gali Vinod Kumar, a professor and member of the peace committee of the State Human Rights Commission has protested that a policeman caught his collar even as he was beseeching students to stop pelting stones on police personnel as it is against the law.

Published Date : Friday, 11/3/2011 3:09 PM IST