Hyderabad, Oct 13 (IANS) A group of women students staging a protest to express solidarity with Palestinians here on Friday, were detained by police.

Raising slogans denouncing Israel for its bombardment of Gaza, they gathered at B. R. Ambedkar statue near Tank Bund in the heart of the city.

They were carrying a placard reading "Long live Palestine".

The police detained the protestors who were raising slogans "down down Israel". The police personnel were seen taking away the protestors in a police vehicle.

A police officer said there was no permission for the protest. This was the first protest in Hyderabad since the latest conflict between Israel and Palestine began last week.

Activists have condemned the police action. "The shrinking spaces for protests in Telangana is a indication of police authoritarianism in Telangana," wrote Srinivas Kodali on 'X' (formerly Twitter).