University of Hyderabad students launch relay hunger strike over Kancha Gachibowli land auction
Hyderabad: A relay hunger strike was initiated at the University of Hyderabad (UoH) on Thursday, April 3, 2025, by the UoH Students’ Union and various organizations. The protest is against the Telangana government’s decision to auction 400 acres of land in Kancha Gachibowli.
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Around 20 students participated in the hunger strike, sitting in front of the university’s North Gate. This follows an ongoing indefinite hunger strike that began the previous day, with the student body accusing the university administration of disregarding their demands. The relay hunger strike will involve new groups of students participating each day. The Students’ Union stated that no demands had been addressed by the administration as of yesterday, and the protest would continue until their concerns are met.
Students have expressed concerns about the continued felling of trees at the site, despite an order from the Telangana High Court to halt the activity. Members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) at UoH have also joined the protests.
The UoH Students’ Union (UoHSU) previously announced an indefinite protest at the university administration building and a boycott of classes, starting April 1, 2025. The protest follows allegations that the university has been complicit in facilitating the clearing of land for the Telangana Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (TGIIC) and enabling police action against students who were peacefully protesting.
The Students’ Union has demanded the immediate removal of police personnel and earth-moving machinery from the campus, a written assurance that the land will be registered under the university’s ownership, the release of minutes from the executive committee meeting on the issue, and greater transparency about land-related documents.
The protests stem from the Telangana government’s decision to initiate development work on land at Sy. No. 25, Kancha Gachibowli, which is located near the university. This move, initiated by the TGIIC on March 30, 2025, led to clashes between the workers and protesting students. Police claimed that the protesters attacked officials with sticks and stones, resulting in injuries to an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP).
As a result of the altercation, 53 individuals were arrested under preventive law but were later released on personal bonds. TGIIC filed a complaint, and the police registered a case against the protesters. Two individuals, B. Rohit Kumar and Erram Naveen Kumar, were arrested in connection with the incident.
Contrary to claims by the police, the UoH Students’ Union has accused the authorities of spreading misinformation. They allege that the police used excessive force against the protesters, including manhandling female students and detaining them in undisclosed locations. The Union also disputed police statements that the two arrested individuals were not university-affiliated, asserting that both were actively involved in the protest. Both are former students of UoH.
The Students’ Union condemned a press release issued by the Cyberabad Police, which they claim misrepresented the events of March 30. They accuse the police of attempting to discredit students involved in a peaceful protest against the clearing of forest land.
In their statement, the UoHSU demanded the immediate revocation of charges against the arrested students and called for justice for those who peacefully opposed the land clearing. The Students’ Union also criticized the Telangana government for using police force to stifle dissent, drawing comparisons to similar actions by the BJP-led government.
