Students Injured in HCU Clash as ABVP Protest Over Decades-Old Play Holi Turns Violent

Hyderabad- A violent clash broke out at the University of Hyderabad (HCU) on Sunday night, May 4, after members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) protested against a theatre performance of the play Holi. Several students were injured in the incident, which took place at the GB Hall during a final-year academic production by the Theatre Arts Department.

According to students who were part of the play, ABVP members allegedly attempted to disrupt the performance midway, leading to a confrontation with students who had come to watch it and resulting in violence outside the venue. The incident coincided with the day of the Bengal election results, which students said contributed to a tense atmosphere on campus.

What Happened on the Night of May 4

The play Holi, written in 1969 by noted Marathi playwright Mahesh Elkunchwar, was being staged as part of the final-year evaluation of theatre students. The performance was part of the academic curriculum and open to the university community.

Archana C, dramaturge of the play and an alumna of the department, said tensions began a day earlier when some ABVP members attended part of the performance and objected to certain dialogues.

“They said the play hurt religious sentiments, particularly references they associated with ‘Sanskriti’ and ‘Brahmanism’. But they had not seen the entire play or understood its context,” she said.

Students from the Theatre Arts Department maintained that Holi is a well-known work that critiques caste hierarchy and problematises how caste operates subtly in educational institutions, ultimately victimising the most vulnerable, Archana added.

Kaustubh, a student of the department and director of the play, said the demand for changes was not feasible. “This is part of our academic evaluation. The play is not written by us; it is an academic exercise, a final-year graduation production that is part of our examination. Censoring was not at all an option,” he said.

“ABVP then threatened that they would not allow the show to take place. A message was circulated on WhatsApp calling for a mob attack on the play, addressing ‘karyakartas’,” he added.

Disturbance During Performance, Attempt to Enter Venue

On May 4, the performance began around 8 pm with precautionary measures in place. Organisers said they had informed the university administration in advance and requested security arrangements. The doors of the hall were locked from inside to prevent disruption.

However, midway through the performance, ABVP members reportedly gathered outside the venue and began raising slogans and creating a disturbance. Organisers told The Mooknayak that stones were thrown, window panes were damaged, and attempts were made to force entry into the hall.

ABVP members also allegedly attempted to break into the women’s greenroom through a backdoor.

“The girls had to block the door with heavy objects. It was a very tense and frightening situation,” Archana said.

Violence Outside GB Hall, Students Injured

While the play continued inside, clashes broke out outside the venue between ABVP members and students affiliated with groups such as SFI and ASA, along with others present.

Adithya, an HCU student and SFI member who was injured in the incident, said, “I was attacked by ABVP members with a wooden stick, which brought a cut to my face and back of my head. They were raising slogans like ‘goli maaro saalen ko’ while attacking. After consulting medical help, doctors advised me to get stitches. I gave a complaint to the police station and hope for legal action against the ABVP members.”

Kripa Maria George, a PhD student and SFI leader, said several students sustained injuries, some requiring stitches and medical scans. A few injured students were taken to hospitals for treatment.

Private vehicles, including those belonging to visiting parents, were vandalised during the unrest, she added.

A student, who wished to remain anonymous, said he had come to watch the play on a friend’s bike. He alleged that members of the protesting group snatched the bike key, which has not yet been returned.

Despite the violence outside, the play was completed without interruption. Students who came to watch the performance and the performers themselves remained inside the hall for some time after the show due to safety concerns. No injuries to those inside the hall were reported.

Student Organisations Condemn Violence

Following the incident, multiple student organisations, including SFI, Ambedkar Students Association (ASA), All India Students’ Association (AISA), Telangana Students’ Federation (TSF), Birsa Ambedkar Phule Students’ Federation (BSF), and AIOBCSA, condemned the violence. They also organised a protest yesterday.

In statements issued after the clash, these organisations alleged that the disruption of an academic performance was an attack on campus democracy and academic freedom. They demanded strict action against those responsible and called on the university administration to ensure student safety.

ABVP Blames Play as ‘Anti-Dharmic Agenda’

The Mooknayak tried to contact the UoHSU president and other student leaders but did not receive a response until the article was published. (Will update once we get their comment.)

The ABVP, however, defended its protest and presented a counter-version of events. In a statement, the organisation said, “Certain students, driven by an anti-dharmic agenda and backed by a section of faculty, orchestrated an act that has gravely hurt Hindu sentiments and challenged the cultural ethos of the campus.”

They also alleged, “When ABVP karyakartas raised their voice in protest against this deliberate provocation, they were met not with dialogue, but with violence. Activists affiliated with SFI launched an attack.”

What is the play about: Synopsis

When a group of young college students finds their holiday cancelled on the day of holi, they decide to rebel against the growing institutional neglect of the administration. Set against the backdrop of gang rebellions in Indian campuses Elkunchwar's Holi explores directionless explosion of hopeless and suppressed energy of the youth in the absence of intellectual rigor. In the one act play directed by final year direction student Kaustubh Tawani, the events unfolding in the spring of 1980s blurs the lines between friendship, enimity, compassion and animosity.

While the rebellion is spearheaded by those with the social capital and caste privilege to shout, the ultimate cost is paid by the most vulnerable.

The mob seeks a scapegoat to satisfy its unrefined rage.

Campus Security

The incident has raised serious concerns about campus security and the role of the university administration.

Students and organisers said they had informed authorities in advance about possible disruptions and had requested security arrangements. However, they alleged that the response was inadequate to prevent the escalation of violence.

The Mooknayak reached out to one of the security in-charges, who said he was on leave on both days. Another security in-charge did not respond. We also tried to contact the University’s Registrar for comment, but no response was received at the time of publication.