Beef festival: Police steps up vigil at Osmania University

Hyderabad: City police have geared up to prevent 'beef festival' from being organised by some sections of students in Osmania University on December 10, and said they will not hesitate from arresting law-breakers.

According to a senior police official, additional forces will soon be deployed on the campus to tackle the situation.

A Leftist students' organisation had earlier declared that it would hold a 'beef festival' on the campus, coinciding with the World Human Rights Day.

"Osmania University authorities denied permission for organising (all) festivals. So there is no question of allowing any festivals on the campus. We will go for preventive arrests if we feel that the situation may lead to law and order problems," the police official told PTI.

He said that they have stepped up vigil and are "keenly" observing the situation and ready to tackle it.

Notwithstanding the police warning and the denial of permission by varsity authorities, Shankar, who claimed to be a member of the All India Students Federation (AISF), affiliated to Communist Party of India and one of the organisers of the 'beef festival', today said they would go ahead with the festival as proposed.

Notably, another group of students had announced plans to organise a 'pork festival' on the university campus on the same day, setting the stage for a confrontation.

However, the university authorities have categorically stated that they would not allow any programmes other than academics-related.