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The Osmania University Police have booked nine students of Hyderabad’s English and Foreign Languages University (EFLU) on Tuesday, October 7 following a pro-Palestine protest held by the students’ union.
The EFLU Students' Union comprising of parties like the Students Federation of India (SFI), National Students Union of India (NSUI), Fraternity Movement and Telugu Students’ Federation (TSF) had organised the protest in solidarity with the global movement slamming the nation-state of Israel for its atrocities against Palestine and demanding a ‘free Palestine.”
While six pro-Palestinian protests were named in this FIR, three other ABVP students were also booked for raising slogans and waving the Indian flag, opposing the pro-Palestinian protestors. The FIR was registered based on a complaint by OU police station SI R Jaya Chandar.
In his complaint, the SI states that he tried to disperse the crowd “peacefully but they were unwilling to heed his instructions and continued creating nuisance for about one hour more.” The complaint also identified a former EFLU student, who was detained on Tuesday night, and stated that the 22-year-old was “shouting slogans supporting Palestine, displaying a Palestine flag” provoking the students, further escalating the situation.
Also Read: Scuffle at EFLU pro-Palestine protest after ABVP raises pro-Zionist slogans
As per the complaint, the SI and some police officers fell to the ground while they tried to manage the crowd. It said “his Fossil wristwatch broke, and the stars on his uniform fell off in the scuffle.”
“I request that necessary action be initiated against the above-mentioned students who created nuisance, obstructed and assaulted police personnel while performing legitimate duties, and caused public disorder and enmity between two groups by supporting another country and defaming India,” the complaint said.
A case has been registered under Sections 132 (assaulting or using criminal force against a public servant to prevent them from discharging their duty), 196 (promoting enmity and disharmony between different groups) and 221 (obstructing a public servant in the discharge of their official duties) read with Section 190 (unlawful assembly) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).