Osmania University asks 'non-boarders' to vacate hostels, to seek police help

The Osmania University asked 'non-boarders' on Tuesday to immediately move out of the hostels on campus voluntarily, and threatened to seek police help to forcibly evacuate them. if they failed to do so.

The university also stated that it would not intervene if police raids were initiated.  

The varsity said it had taken some tough decisions like cutting off the power and water supply in order to refurbish hostels and provide better amenities to legitimate boarders.

The Times of India quotes a statement by the university, where it said that it had cut off power and water supply to some hostels, as it continued to bear the financial burden of amenities, though regular courses were yet to take off.

"This is the opportune time to fix all problems related to amenities in the hostels when classes have not yet commenced for the second year and admissions for the 2017-2018 session is in progress," the statement said.

The Deccan Chronicle reported that this comes after reports that the vacant faculty quarters was being occupied by unauthorised and illegal persons.

A senior official from OU told DC, “We will only seek help of the police after warning the non-boarders and we have already urged them to move out voluntarily, if they don’t vacate hostels voluntarily then we will seek help of the police considering it as a last option.’’

Among the 'illegal' violators are those who have passed out from the university many years ago, and also those who have no connection with it. 

The Hindu had earlier reported that OU has 22 hostels that can accommodate 8,000 students. However, it is estimated that around 4,000 non-boarders were staying in violation of the rules. 

“It is our responsibility to ensure that fresh students are given admission and unless the non-boarders are vacated, the hostels can’t be spruced up,” University Vice-Chancellor S. Ramchandram told the newspaper.