Non-teaching staff of Hyderabad Central University resume duties

Hyderabad: The non-teaching staff of Hyderabad Central University (HCU), who had gone on a strike protesting vandalisation of VC's lodge on March 22 allegedly by a group of students, resumed their duties yesterday as the situation on the campus remained peaceful.

Appa Rao Podile. Pic/PTI

"The situation on the campus is peaceful today," Gachibowli police inspector J Ramesh said. Members of HCU Non-Teaching Staff Union had boycotted duties from Tuesday afternoon protesting ransacking of Vice Chancellor (VC) Appa Rao Podile's official residence and after being assaulted allegedly by the group of students opposing Podile resuming his duty. As part of the strike, cooks had shut down ‘Students' Mess', expressing support to the VC.

"They (non-teaching staff) have resumed their duties from today in the larger interest of the university," said HCU Registrar M Sudhakar. Meanwhile, 25 students and two faculty members of HCU, who were arrested in connection with incidents of vandalism, were sent to judicial remand on Wednesday night.

Mother of deceased Dalit research scholar Rohit Vemula, Radhika, who had staged a sit-in protest in front of the university on Wednesday night after being denied entry, withdrew her protest at around 11.15 pm, HCU Chief Security Officer T V Rao said.