At least 10 students of the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) in Mumbai have been booked by police for allegedly participating in an event commemorating the death anniversary of former Delhi University professor G.N. Saibaba, The Indian Express reported.
According to The Wire, four students were detained, and police have also sought the addresses of several others. Laptops and mobile phones belonging to the detained students were confiscated during the operation, one student told the outlet.
Saibaba, a wheelchair-bound academic with over 90% disability, spent more than seven years in jail on accusations of having links with Maoist groups. In March 2024, the Bombay High Court acquitted and released him, declaring his earlier conviction unlawful. On October 12, seven months after his release, Saibaba died of post-operative complications in Hyderabad.
On Sunday, several TISS students reportedly gathered on campus to light candles and display posters in Saibaba’s memory. However, the peaceful gathering was allegedly disrupted by members of the Democratic Secular Students Forum (DSSF), who tore down posters and photographed participants, The Wire reported.
Following the incident, the TISS administration filed a complaint, prompting the police to register an FIR against the students. The charges include causing prejudice to the nation, promoting enmity between groups, and participating in an unlawful assembly, among other sections.
The FIR also alleges that the students shouted slogans in support of jailed activists Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam, both of whom have been imprisoned for over five years under the UAPA in connection with the 2020 Delhi riots conspiracy case.
However, students who attended the commemoration have denied the allegations, insisting that the event was entirely peaceful and that no slogans were raised.
