Bengaluru Rural police have registered cases against nearly two dozen activists of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad after they allegedly stormed Azim Premji University and vandalised the campus during a protest over a discussion linked to Kashmir’s Kunan Poshpora.
Around 100 ABVP activists staged a protest on the university campus on Tuesday, claiming that a student event was “anti-national” and promoted separatism in Jammu and Kashmir. The protest soon turned violent, with security guards and a student reportedly assaulted and property damaged.
According to police, 20 activists aged between 18 and 25 were formally arrested following a complaint filed by the university’s security manager, S Wilson. They were later produced before a local court and released on conditional bail. In total, about 25 activists were granted bail, officials said.
The Sarjapura police have registered a case under several sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including rioting, unlawful assembly, criminal intimidation, voluntarily causing hurt, intentional insult to provoke breach of peace, and criminal trespass.
What Happened on Campus
As per the FIR, around 25 activists gathered outside the university gate after a post about a campus programme was uploaded online. They raised slogans, waved the national flag, and later entered the campus without permission.
Police said the protesters smeared black paint on the university signboard and wrote slogans such as “ban SPARK” and “ban AISA.” They allegedly assaulted security personnel, including Jagadeesh, Chandan Mahalik, Chitr Bahadur, Naresh, Sripathi and Harish. A first-year BA student, Mohammed Ali Ahmed, was also injured and is undergoing treatment.
University authorities stated that no event related to the alleged rape by an Indian soldier in Kashmir, as claimed by the ABVP, had been held on campus.
Reading Circle Also Booked
In a parallel development, police also registered a criminal case against members of Spark APU, a reading circle affiliated with the All India Students Association.
The complaint was filed by university registrar Rishikesh BS, who alleged that the reading circle organised a discussion without prior approval. The event reportedly focused on the 1991 Kunan Poshpora mass rape allegations in Jammu and Kashmir. The Indian Army has previously denied these allegations.
Based on the complaint, Sarjapura police registered a case under Section 299 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, related to deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings, along with provisions of the Information Technology Act.
The registrar’s complaint also stated that ABVP activists entered the campus without authorisation, assaulted individuals, and damaged property. It further alleged that the reading circle had circulated defamatory and communally sensitive content using the university’s name.
Government Reacts
Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara condemned the violence and said strict action would be taken.
“Whatever be the topic discussed at the seminar, no one has the right to interpret it in their own way and assault students. They have taken the law into their hands. There is no option for that, and action will be taken against them,” he said.
