Hyderabad: Policemen, who cracked down on students protesting at University of Hyderabad, threatened to rape the women students, revealed an independent fact finding team.

The team, which went into March 22 incidents on the campus, found that there was widespread assault of women students.

“Abusive language and threats to rape the women students were heard from police,” said the interim report by the panel comprising senior human rights activists, academicians and lawyers.

The team, which met students, faculty members, police and Telangana home minister, also claimed that targeted statements towards minority students and describing them as “terrorists” were also heard.

The team members told reporters on Saturday that students and faculty members arrested were not presented before a magistrate within 24 hours as required by law.

“Police could have given bail but the students and faculty were remanded in judicial custody,” said the report.

Police had arrested 25 students and two faculty members when they were staging a protest against P. Appa Rao resuming his duties as the vice chancellor.

Appa Rao, his representatives and other university officials refused to meet the panel.

The committee said that the registrar banned the entry of media, and political, social, students groups on March 23 so that nobody could meet the faculty or students on campus and see for themselves the place of occurrence of the violence let loose a day earlier. (IANS)