Hyderabad varsity shut for four days

Fearing escalation of trouble, the University of Hyderabad declared holiday till Saturday, and students were forced to leave the campus as the non-teaching staff cut off supply of water, electricity, internet and even refused to cook food.

The non-teaching staff have refused to cooperate with the students after the vice-chancellor’s lodge was ransacked by “members” of the Joint Action Committee (JAC) for Social Justice, an umbrella organisation of several student groups, on Tuesday.

The decision came on a day when JNU students union president Kanhaiya Kumar was scheduled to address a meeting arranged by the JAC, demanding justice for Dalit research scholar Rohith Vemula who committed suicide on January 17.

With no water, students were seen filling buckets near a sump close to the hostels. While many students have left the campus, those who stayed back were seen cooking in the open.

“This campus is far away from the city, so we have decided to cook on our own,” said a student from New Research Scholars hostel. They say closing down the campus with the semester slated to end in 10 days is a cruel joke.Registrar M Sudhakar said: “In view of the prevailing extraordinary situation, it has been decided not to allow entry of outside persons viz print, electronic media and political, social and student groups and individuals into the campus until further notice.”

The residences of vice-chancellor, deans and other teaching staff were cordoned off by the police. The university is now virtually out of bounds for an outsider.  All gates have been sealed and students, teaching and non-teaching staff were allowed only after a through check of their ID cards. The OB vans of various channels have been moved outside the campus. Cyberabad Jt Commissioner of Police T V Sasidhar Reddy and Madapur DCP Kartikeya are camping on the campus. Congress MP V Hanumantha Rao tried to enter the campus in the morning, but was asked to return.