Hyderabad, Aug 28 (IANS) In a new twist to the movement for a separate Telangana state, students from the region Saturday manhandled teachers from Andhra and Rayalaseema on the Osmania University campus here.
Protesting the spot evaluation of their B.Ed examination papers by teachers from other regions, the pro-Telangana students chased them away. A couple of teachers were also beaten up by the protesters.
The incident sparked tension on the campus, which has been witnessing violent protests and student suicides for a separate Telangana state since November last year.
Trouble broke out Saturday when leaders of Osmania University Students Joint Action Committee (JAC) took exception to evaluation of their papers by academicians from other regions and asked them to leave the campus. Alleging injustice to students from Telangana, they demanded that only teachers from Telangana should evaluate their papers.
When some teachers ignored their warning and continued their work, the students forcibly stopped them and drove them out. Few students were seen chasing and thrashing two lecturers while others including women left the campus in panic. A couple of policemen tried to save the teachers.
In the past, the Telangana students had also staged protests against the evaluation of intermediate (11th and 12th standard) papers by lecturers from outside Telangana.
However, this was the first time that academicians from other regions of the state have come under attack.
The incident could heighten tension between Telangana and Andhra regions. Teachers from the universities in Andhra and Rayalaseema condemned the attack on their colleagues in Osmania University.
JAC leaders denied that they beat up teachers but demanded that all evaluators from Andhra should leave the campus by Aug 30.
University officials said action would be taken against those involved in the incidents.
Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan, who is also the chancellor of the university, sought details of the incident from the university authorities.
