Pune, Jan 23 (PTI) Right-wing activists entered the campus of the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) here on Tuesday and allegedly assaulted students over a banner condemning the 1992 demolition of the Babri Masjid, police said.
While the FTII Students Association (FSA) claimed that its president Mankap Nokwoham was among those who were attacked, the police late at night also registered a case against three students for `hurting religious sentiments’.
The banner with the words “Remember Babri, Death of Constitution” had been put up by the FSA on the campus on Monday, said deputy commissioner of police Sandip Gill.
The incident at the country’s premier film institute took place a day after the grand consecration ceremony of the Ram Lalla idol took place in Ayodhya.
According to police, some 12 to 15 unidentified persons allegedly barged into the campus by overpowering security personnel around noon on Tuesday, assaulted students while shouting slogans, and tore up the banner and burnt it.
A First Information Report (FIR) was registered against unidentified persons at Deccan police station under Indian Penal Code sections 143 (unlawful assembly), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 427 (mischief causing damage) and other relevant provisions, said Vipin Hasabnis, senior police inspector, Deccan police station.
The FTII Students Association, in a release, said they strongly stand against this attack on “democratic rights as well as the lives of students.”
“Innocent students were grievously attacked by these goons who barged into our campus while the security and staff were being mere spectators,” the FSA alleged, adding that the mob of 20 to 25 people started shouting “Jai Shree Ram”, hurled abuse at students and attacked four students including association president Mankap Nokwoham and general secretary Sayantan who suffered injuries.
Late at night, a First Information Report was registered against three students under Indian Penal Code sections 153B (1) (Imputations, assertions prejudicial to national integration) and 295-A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs), said a senior official.
