Police step up security in Osmania University

Police have steeped up security in Osmania University campus to prevent any untoward incident, in view of separate students' bodies announcing holding of 'beef' and 'pork' festivals in the varsity tomorrow and a local court ordering a status quo on any such events. "We are taking all precautionary measures. The High Court also (today) gave oral instructions that authorities should ensure that it (festivals) is not done," Deputy Commissioner of Police (East Zone) A Ravinder told PTI. When asked about deployment of additional forces, the DCP said they would do it as part of precautionary measures. "Naturally, we deploy additional forces. But, they will only be local police forces. So far we have not taken anybody into preventive arrest. If necessary we may do it," he added. A student group had declared that it would hold a 'beef festival' in the varsity campus tomorrow, coinciding with the World Human Rights Day, while another group also announced their plan to organise a 'pork festival' on the same day, which raised the possibility of confrontation. The city civil court had passed the status quo order two days ago, which amounts to staying the holding of the festivals, on a petition filed by an advocate. The petitioner contended that these events are in the violation of Cruelty Towards Animal Act and Cow Slaughter Act, and hurt the religious sentiments of the people. Meanwhile, BJP MLA T Raja Singh said if the student group went ahead with the beef festival, "We will try to stop it". Accusing the student group of "trying to play political games to derive political mileage", the Goshamahal MLA said he was requesting the police not to allow the event. Osmania University, one of the oldest educational institutions of higher learning, has already clarified that activities unrelated to academics, including 'beef festival', 'pork festival' and 'gau-puja' would not be permitted on the campus.