Ex-professor among 151 booked under UAPA, sedition in Hyderabad

Human rights activist and former University of Hyderabad professor, G Haragopal was booked along with 151 others under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) and sedition.

UAPA is an offence that allows the government to arrest any individual under the umbrella they are a threat to India’s integrity and sovereignty. Sedition is defined as an offence when an individual’s speech or writings can cause hatred towards the elected government.

Retired professor Haragopal has served as Dean of School of Social Sciences at University of Hyderabad.

He has been accused of supporting Maoist activities and charged with conspiring to kill politicians and police personnel as well as ‘replace the democratically elected government at gunpoint.’

The cases were registered by Tadwai police of Mulugu district in August 2022. However, the matter came to light on Thursday when Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM) president Chandramouli applied for bail in Rangareddy court.

Chandramouli was arrested in a case two months ago. He had applied for bail following which the Rangareddy court directed officials to furnish FIRs against him.

While retrieving all the FIRs, Prof



Haragopal’s name along with Chandramouli, Professor Gaddam Laxman, Professor Padmajasha, Mumbai High Court Judge Suresh, Arunodaya Honorary President Vimala, Progressive Women’s Association President Sandhya and others came forward.

The FIR registered by the Tadvai police stated that on August 19, 2022, Parsa police circle inspector V Shankar was performing his duties when he received information about an alleged gathering of Maoist members.

Shankar claimed the members were planning attacks on officials (under the command of central committee member Pulluri Prasad Rao), destruction of government property, and recruitment of tribal youth to raise funds for their Maoist community.

A combing operation was launched during which the police came across armed men in olive green uniforms at the meeting.

“When the police asked them to surrender, they fled into the dense forest. However, police were able to track their tent which had kit bags, solar plates, water cans, water bottles, steel bags, rope and Maoist literature,” revealed the FIR.

The Maoist literature had the names of 152 people, including the retired professor Haragopal.