supporters eating beef biryani at the beef festival in OU.
The Osmania University cops, who booked eight
cases of violence during the beef controversy, say that they have
received complaints alleging that rioters had smelt the hands of
students and had beaten up if they smelt of meat. However, peace returned to the campus on Tuesday with the police intensifying patrolling on the campus and around the hostels.
Investigation has revealed that no cow was slaughtered on the campus, nor was the beef cooked on the premises. Only cooked beef biryani packets were bought from hotels in the city during the festival.
The assistant commissioner of police, Kacheguda, Mr Ranjan Rathan Kumar, said, “We have booked cases and counter cases pertaining to the incidents and are verifying the claims. Those who were beaten up alleged that the rioters smelled their hands and attacked them for eating beef.”
No arrests have been made yet. The Osmania University police booked a case against ABVP leaders subsequent to a complaint lodged by Kavita, an MA first year student of the ladies hostel, who alleged that they insulted her for eating beef and abused her.
She alleged that when she was returning to the hostel on April 15 around 10 pm after participating in the beef festival, the accused arrived on motor bikes carrying sticks and abused her. The case was booked against ABVP leaders Kalyan, Rama Rao, Ramakrishna, Prem and five others for unlawful assembly, rioting, causing public nuisance and obstructing a person using violence.
Varsities say no to beef on common mess menu
Notwithstanding the ongoing ‘beef controversy’ in the Osmania University campus, the state universities are reluctant to include beef on their hostels’ mess menu as demanded by various Dalit student unions and professors.
However, the universities will not impose any restrictions on students who want to cook and eat beef in their hostel rooms. They will also ensure that such students are not targeted by other students who oppose beef eating by initiating 'disciplinary action' against them.
The universities will continue with the existing common non-vegetarian menu of chicken, mutton and eggs in the hostel mess and no plans to make any changes in the common menu is on the anvil. This was conveyed by the Vice-Chancellors of various state universities to the officials of higher education department conducting an enquiry in the beef controversy on the OU campus.
The VCs were of the opinion that students from all caste, creed and religions eat in the hostel messes and it will be practically difficult to include beef in common menu meant for all students.