The Hyderabad police on Thursday arrested Bharatiya Janata Party MLA T Raja Singh, as well as detained eight students who were organising a beef festival at Osmania University. Singh had threatened to bring thousands of supporters to disrupt the event. A curfew-like situation has been enforced on campus, with the event planned for later in the day, PTI reported. An unprecedented number of police personnel were deployed to prevent any untoward incidents, with the students threatening to go ahead with their festival despite a notice from a local court. Police imposed restrictions on movement of people and vehicles, and put up barricades all over the campus.

"As per [the] court order, we will not allow any festivals on the Osmania University campus," a police official told PTI.

Two groups of students had planned to host a beef and a pork festival on Thursday, which is also World Human Rights Day, to emphasise their right to eat what they wanted. A civil court had on Tuesday ordered a stay on the event. The judge said the festival would have violated provisions under the Prevention of Cow Slaughtering Act as well as the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act. The students had said they would appeal to the High Court. The High Court, bench, on Wednesday, upheld the lower court’s decision.