Hyderabad, Sep 19 (IANS): Students of Hyderabad's Osmania University and Nizam College clashed with police Monday after they were stopped from taking out a march to demand a separate Telangana state.

Police fired teargas shells to disperse students who were pelting stones after the rally was stopped at NCC Gate. As students remained on the sprawling campus while police forces closing the exit routes, the situation continued to be tense, eyewitnesses said.

Activists of the students' wing of the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) wanted to march to the secretariat, about 15 km from the campus, to show solidarity with government employees, who have been on indefinite strike for the last one week demanding formation of a separate state.

Teachers, workers of state-owned Singareni Collieries are also on strike, lawyers are boycotting the courts while employees of the Road Transport Corporation (RTC) joined the protest, paralysing transport services.

Violence also broke out at Nizam College in Basheerbagh in the heart of Hyderabad city after police stopped the students trying to take out a rally.

A group of students resorted to stone pelting on police and attacked cars either parkes near the college or passing through the area. Police used batons against students and chased them inside the college.

Deputy Commissioner of Police Akun Sabarwal told the media that 30 students had been arrested. Six policemen were injured in the stone pelting while five cars were damaged.

Police have already imposed prohibitory orders banning meetings, rallies and processions in the city.