Savitribai Phule Pune University has filed an FIR against two students over alleged criminal trespass into the girls’ hostel, while a teachers’ association has accused the university of allowing increasing political interference in campus administration.
The FIR was filed late on October 12 under Section 329(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which deals with criminal trespass and house trespass, according to a report by The Indian Express. The case follows an alleged incident in which two male students entered the girls’ hostel premises at night after reportedly confronting a girl student who was sitting with a male friend.
Students at the hostel alleged that Goraksh Kamble, who described himself as the SPPU Yuva Sena class president, arrived after the incident and attempted to protect the two students, identified as Pramod Rathod and Omkar Gore. The students alleged that the two men had tried to “moral police” the girl before entering the hostel premises, where men are not allowed.
Kamble denied that he used political influence or acted as a political representative. He said the two students were his juniors and had called him after the incident. According to him, he intervened because around 250 to 300 girls were approaching the two men with footwear and he feared that a fight would break out. He said he did not have complete information at the time and later told the students that he would take them to the police if they were found guilty.
The Savitribai Phule Teachers Association raised the wider issue in a letter released on Tuesday. The association alleged that political and organisational interference was taking place on a large scale and questioned whether the university administration was firmly supporting professors who perform non-teaching duties, including hostel administration.
Professor Satish Pardeshi, president of the association, said Additional Rector of the girls’ hostel Pravin Talat had offered to resign after the incident, while Chief Rector Soniya Nagrale had also offered her resignation. He alleged that media statements by the university made it appear that Talat had been removed and Nagrale had resigned, leaving the two administrators as scapegoats. He further alleged that the students involved had political protection.
The teachers’ association did not name any political organisation in its letter. It warned that professors would begin a “mass reading” protest outside the university’s main building if the administration continued to succumb to political pressure. The association also said professors assigned additional responsibilities faced difficulties, humiliation and mental distress when handling incidents in hostels.
SPPU Vice Chancellor Suresh Gosavi denied that the university had bowed to political pressure. “There is no question of bowing to political pressure. Decisions have to be taken by thinking compassionately towards all groups,” he told The Indian Express.
The FIR against the two students is the formal action disclosed in the report. The competing accounts from students, the teachers’ association, the university administration and Kamble leave the circumstances surrounding the alleged hostel entry and the subsequent administrative decisions subject to the ongoing police and university processes.
