Hyderabad:
A shocking video of two Telangana policewomen dragging a protesting student by her hair has emerged online and is being widely circulated. The video shows the police officers on a scooty chasing a young woman. She runs a few steps and then falls as the policewoman sitting behind grabs her long hair.
The student reportedly belonged to ABVP (Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad), a student group associated with the BJP's ideological mentor, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.
They were protesting against the state government's recent decision to allot land of Professor Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University (PJTSAU) for construction of the new Supreme Court complex.
“The recent incident involving Telangana police is deeply worrying and absolutely unacceptable,” Kavitha, leader of the ruling Bharat Rashtra Samith, wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
The recent incident involving Telangana Police is deeply worrying and absolutely unacceptable. Dragging a peaceful student protester and unleashing aggressive behavior on the protester raises serious questions about the need for such aggressive police tactics.
This… pic.twitter.com/p3DH812ZBS
— Kavitha Kalvakuntla (@RaoKavitha) January 24, 2024
“Draging a peaceful student protester and unleashing abrasive behavior on the protester raises serious questions about the need for such aggressive police tactics. This arrogant behavior demands an unconditional apology from the Telangana Police,” she added.
She has urged the Human Rights Commission to take “swift and strict action against those involved.”
“This behavior cannot become the norm and must be condemned by all,” she wrote, tagging the Commission.
The protests have been going on for almost a week. The students claim that a large number of trees will be felled for the construction of the new building and are demanding that an alternative piece of barren land be allotted before the court.
The designated area includes parts of the campus including butterfly and biodiversity parks and a research station for medicinal and aromatic plants.