Police behave like a gang of rowdy elements on Osmania University students (Feb 14-15, 2010)

(By Srinath Vudali at 15 Feb 2010 09:32:18 AM IST )
It was around 9.30 p.m. when I entered the Osmania University campus to cover the breaking news. All that we heard till then was that there was a clash between police and students.There was an eerie silence on the dim lit road leading to the Arts College where a group of students, both boys and girls, were staging a demonstration. I sat a few yards away from them at the bus-stop, kind of a vantage point, listening to their slogans.All was well, except for the chill in the air. All of a sudden, the students took to their heels. I stood up to see a posse of armed policemen running towards the students.Call it fear or instinct for self-preservation, it took over me as the police, looking every bit like an invading army, marched forward menacingly.I ran alongside several other students as fast as my legs could take me to the nearest shelter: Arts College. A heart-piercing scream made me look over my shoulder as I stepped into the building. A policeman had just landed a mighty blow on a girl who was pillion riding on a bike.As I turned back with a shudder, some experienced students bolted the massive doors of the building from inside.It was around 9.45 p.m. The students ran in all directions inside the building, while some tried to get a bird’s eyeview of the police action from balconies, others and perhaps, the wiser ones, remained in the great indoors.But then, the most terrifying thing happened. The police began to pelt stones. Some of their colleagues began firing rubber bullets and lobbing teargas shells to smoke us out. Fortunately, none fell inside.This continued for a good halfan- hour. The terrorised students screamed and cried. Some called up their parents, the cellphones were godsend. But their fear multiplied as the batteries went down.One of the students, a girl, was injured and I could see her limping even as she wiped her tears.‘‘Nothing will happen. Don’t worry,’’ a student consoled the others. He seemed like a prophet.Sure enough, the bullet sounds subsided. But none dared venture outside. After waiting for some more time, we mustered enough courage to open the doors. A group of students were standing in front of the building. Never had I experienced such relief upon finding a group of students. I yelled to the others to come out.The trauma lasted for about an hour. I walked briskly to the health centre to get my bike. The two-wheeler was there alright. But the watchman was not. He too was thrashed by the cops.