Police in Bengaluru have registered a suo motu case against a professor at PES University for allegedly calling a Muslim student a “terrorist” during a classroom session.
The incident, which reportedly took place earlier this week, came to light after a video recorded by another student went viral on social media, triggering protests by student groups.
The accused, identified as adjunct professor Muralidhar Deshpande from the commerce department, allegedly made Islamophobic remarks in a class attended by around 60 students.
Alleged Remarks During Classroom Interaction
According to reports, the incident began when the student sought permission to step out of the class, following which the professor allegedly shouted at him.
A complaint cited by police stated that the professor called the student a “terrorist” and made further remarks linking him to global conflicts. “The Iran war happened because of people like you” and “Trump will take you away,” the complaint alleged.
Some of these statements are not clearly audible in the viral video due to background noise.
Police Action and Charges Filed
Initially, the Giri Nagar Police Station registered a non-cognisable report based on a complaint by the student wing of the Congress party. However, police later filed a suo motu case against the professor.
The case has been registered under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita related to deliberate acts intended to outrage religious feelings and intentional insult that could provoke a breach of peace.
University Orders Inquiry, Suspends Professor
The university has suspended the professor pending an internal inquiry.
Chancellor Jawahar Doreswamy said the institution is verifying the authenticity of the video and examining the circumstances surrounding the incident.
“We have CCTV in every classroom and have asked our technical team to verify the footage,” he said, adding that a disciplinary committee will review the evidence.
Concerns Over Evidence and Student Action
The complaint also raised concerns about the possible deletion of CCTV footage, alleging that evidence may have been tampered with. It further claimed that some students who supported the Muslim student were later suspended on disciplinary grounds.
The Students’ Islamic Organisation of India condemned the incident, calling it an example of Islamophobia within an academic institution.
