On July 3, 2022, police reportedly arrested 20 students as they marched out of Osmania University (OU), attempting to bring their demonstration before Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Members of the Telangana Rashtra Samithi Vidyarthi Vibhagam (TRSV), the student wing of the Telangana Rashtra Samithi, a regional political party, organized the demonstration at OU and planned to march toward the parade ground where Modi would give remarks. Students held posters calling for the withdrawal of the charges against the students arrested during the protest against the Agnipath military recruitment plan (see report). Police reportedly arrested 20 students when they attempted to march toward the parade ground.

Scholars at Risk is concerned about the arbitrary detention of students in an apparent effort to restrict or retaliate against their nonviolence exercise of the rights to freedom of expression and freedom of assembly – conduct that is expressly protected by international human rights instruments, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which India is a party. State authorities have an obligation to refrain from restricting or retaliating against the nonviolent and responsible exercise of such rights. In addition to the harm to the immediate victims, detentions aimed at restricting students’ expressive activities undermine academic freedom and democratic society generally.

Sources:
*SAR identified this incident in data made publicly available by the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED)
https://www.deccanherald.com/national/south/police-foil-trs-youth-wings-attempt-to-stage-protest-at-parade-ground-ahead-of-pms-rally-1123572.html
https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/telangana/2022/jul/04/reach-out-to-the-marginalised-among-minorities-modi-2472632.html