Hyderabad

Tension arose at the Telangana Martyrs’ Memorial Gun Park in front of the Assembly on Monday when police denied permission to keep the body of G.N. Saibaba, a Delhi University professor and human rights activist, at the memorial. His family, along with civil rights activists and Left party leaders, wanted to allow people to pay their respects. However, police stated there was no authorization for this, even refusing a request to park the ambulance nearby for 15 minutes.

This led to a heated argument between the activists and the police, causing further unrest. Protesters chanted slogans like Saibaba amar rahe and Inquilab Zindabad, expressing their disappointment over the denied access. Eventually, Saibaba’s body was taken to his residence in Moula Ali, where people could pay their respects.

Later in the evening, the family planned to donate his body to Gandhi Medical College. Saibaba, who was 57, died due to complications after gallbladder surgery. He had been wheelchair-bound and was receiving treatment at Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences for ten days prior to his death.

Saibaba had spent nearly ten years in prison after being arrested in connection with an alleged Maoist case, but was acquitted earlier this year. Tributes poured in from various leaders, with many criticizing the government for his prolonged incarceration and expressing regret over his untimely passing.