HCU vice-chancellor Appa Rao Podile's official residence was vandalised today by students and police had to lathicharge another group during their protest against him resuming charge after a two-month leave in the wake of suicide by dalit scholar Rohith Vemula.
The protests began in the morning when a section of students while raising slogans against the Vice Chancellor, barged into his residence (VC's lodge), broke window panes, smashed doors and television among other items, protesting against his resumption of duty.
Prof. Podile was in a meeting with some deans and members of the executive committee in the lodge when the students struck.
Later, a group of students continued their protest by squatting outside Podile's residence.
"Police had to resort to caning after repeated requests to the agitating students failed to get positive response. Students also indulged in stone-pelting, injuring four police personnel," a police official said.
According to him, police were requesting the students since afternoon but they were "adamant" and did not pay heed to disperse from the place.
Prof. Podile termed the vandalisation incident as the "black day" for University of Hyderabad.
"I was having a meeting with some deans and members of the executive committee on how to handle things in University. Meanwhile, a group of students came, (they) banged the doors, ransacked the office and resorted to violence of the magnitude which we have never seen in university. This is the black day for the University of Hyderabad," he said.
The VC said the violence is uncalled for.
"The students did not resort to a dialogue. They should have given me a representation. Without telling anything ransacking the office to this magnitude is uncalled for and not expected from students of University of Hyderabad. All the teachers are feeling that this is unbecoming of the students," he added.
Prof Podile, who is in the eye of a storm over Vemula's suicide on January 17, had proceeded on leave on January 24 as the agitating students demanded his resignation and held vigorous protests seeking "justice" for the dalit student.
Meanwhile, the agitating students claimed that vandalisation was carried out by the members of the ABVP to tarnish the image of students on protest and to divert the entire issue.
Some members belonging to ABVP later gathered at VC's lodge to prevent the protesters from entering the house.
When asked about the proposed visit of JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar to HCU tomorrow, the VC said, "I have not given any permission for the meeting. There was no letter (requesting permission for meeting) from anyone on this. I will have to discuss with police and my colleagues then only I can comment."
A large number of police personnel were deployed near the VC's lodge as tension prevailed on the campus.
