Violence at HCU: 25 students, two faculty members arrested

March 23, 2016

Hyderabad, Mar 23: Twenty-five students and two faculty members of Hyderabad Central University were arrested today in connection with incidents of ransacking of Vice Chancellor Appa Rao Podile's lodge and stone pelting on police personnel, police said.

According to Gachibowli police inspector J Ramesh, so far two cases have been booked on charges of damage to public property, trespass and preventing Government officials from performing their duties and other relevant sections of IPC in connection with yesterday's incidents.

"27 persons were arrested in connection with both the incidents. 25 students and two faculty members," Ramesh told PTI. All the accused will be produced in a court soon, he added. Students yesterday vandalised the official residence of HCU vice-chancellor Appa Rao Podile and police had to lathicharge a group of students during their protest against him resuming charge after a two-month leave in the wake of suicide by Rohit Vemula on January 17.

Meanwhile, National Students Union of India, President Roji M John in statement alleged that the protesting students have been taken to unknown locations by the police and aren't traceable.

"Our fight will not stop till our demands are met. HRD Minister, Smriti Irani, Minister Bandaru Dattatreya and VC Prof Appa Rao should be punished for Rohith's death. We demand the immediate arrest of Prof Appa Rao who has been booked under the SC/ST atrocities Act. We will continue till a Rohith Law is enacted," he said.

As dining halls in the HCU remain closed due to strike by non-teaching staff, students resorted to cooking in the open area.

"By denying drinking water, food, cutting internet and keeping the media out, the government is playing dirty politics on the campus. This behaviour of the government is reflecting its inhuman, violent and fascist face," the NSUI leader added.

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Over 58 lakh names dropped from draft voter list in Bengal ahead of polls

News Network

December 16,2025

The deletion of over 58 lakh names from West Bengal’s draft electoral rolls following a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) has sparked widespread concern and is likely to deepen political tensions in the poll-bound state.

According to the Election Commission, the revision exercise has identified 24 lakh voters as deceased, 19 lakh as relocated, 12 lakh as missing, and 1.3 lakh as duplicate entries. The draft list, published after the completion of the first phase of SIR, aims to remove errors and duplication from the electoral rolls.

However, the scale of deletions has raised fears that a large number of eligible voters may have been wrongly excluded. The Election Commission has said that individuals whose names are missing can file objections and seek corrections. The final voter list is scheduled to be published in February next year, after which the Assembly election announcement is expected. Notably, the last Special Intensive Revision in Bengal was conducted in 2002.

The development has intensified the political row over the SIR process. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her Trinamool Congress have strongly opposed the exercise, accusing the Centre and the Election Commission of attempting to disenfranchise lakhs of voters ahead of the elections.

Addressing a rally in Krishnanagar earlier this month, Banerjee urged people to protest if their names were removed from the voter list, alleging intimidation during elections and warning of serious consequences if voting rights were taken away.

The BJP, meanwhile, has defended the revision and accused the Trinamool Congress of politicising the issue to protect what it claims is an illegal voter base. Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari alleged that the ruling party fears losing power due to the removal of deceased, fake, and illegal voters.

The controversy comes amid earlier allegations by the Trinamool Congress that excessive work pressure during the SIR led to the deaths by suicide of some Booth Level Officers (BLOs), for which the party blamed the Election Commission. With the draft list now out, another round of political confrontation appears imminent.

As objections begin to be filed, the focus will be on whether the correction mechanism is accessible, transparent, and timely—critical factors in ensuring that no eligible voter is denied their democratic right ahead of a crucial election.

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