Osmania Beef Festival: 8 organisers detained, BJP MLA arrested

Police personnel deployed on the Osmania varsity campus

Hyderabad: Eight organisers of the controversial ‘beef festival' on Osmania University campus were detained, while BJP MLA T Raja Singh, who was opposing the the event, was arrested in the morning, the police said yesterday.

Police personnel deployed on the Osmania varsity campus. Pic/PTI

A students' group had earlier declared that it would hold a ‘beef festival' on the campus yesterday, coinciding with the World Human Rights Day, while another group also announced its plan to organise a ‘pork festival' the same day, which raised the possibility of confrontation.

"Last [Wednesday] night, eight key members of the group that announced the beef festival today [Thursday] were arrested. As per court order, we will not allow any festivals on the Osmania University campus," a police official said.

Moreover, Assistant Commissioner of Police K Ram Bhupal Rao said they arrested BJP MLA from Goshamahal, T Raja Singh, as a preventive measure to maintain law and order.

The legislator had vowed to stop the ‘beef festival' and also announced that he along with other groups would perform a ‘Gau Puja (cow worship) on Thursday.