The Indian Express (Delhi Edition)
Day after clash: Pune varsity tense, 12 held
THE SAVITRIBAI Phule Pune University (SPPU) campus remained tense on Saturday, a day after a clash broke out between members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and Students’ Federation of India (SFI). Police have arrested 12 people in connection with the incident. Seven of them are ABVP members while five belong to the SFI.
On Saturday, a large number of students gathered near the refrectory — where the clash had taken place on Friday — prompting the university administration to deploy additional security.
Vice-chancellor Wasudeo Gade told the media that this was the first time a violent clash had taken place on campus, and promised strict action against those involved.
On Friday night, a clash had broken out between members of the two groups after ABVP activists allegedly tried to stop SFI members from putting up some posters.whilesfisaidtheposters were against Solapur MLC Prashant Paricharak’s allegedly “insulting remarks about soldiers”, and the violence at Rajmas College in Delhi, ABVP objected and claimed that the posters read “ABVP murdabad.”
“For the last few months, their hooliganism has increased... even in the past, they have broken up our protests. They protested in the morning... but when SFI students were putting up posters, at least 25 ABVP activists rounded them up and beat them up with sticks, bricks and belts,” claimed Sheetal Alhat, a diploma student at SPPU.
However, ABVP activist Pradeep Gawde claimed that SFI members had triggered the violence. ABVP leader Satpute alleged that when ABVP members questioned SFI activists about the posters, the latter started beating them up and threatened to kill them.
Activists of both the ABVP and the SFI filed cross-complaints against each other at the Chaturshringi police station after the clash on Friday evening.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone III) Ganesh Shinde said the complaints lodged by both groups were being investigated. “Action will be taken as per the law,” he said.
The 12 persons arrested were produced before a magistrate’s court on Saturday. They were later released on bail.
The violent clash between two student groups has raised questions about security on campus. Vice-chancellor Wasudeo Gade admitted this was a “big challenge”, especially since student elections were making a comeback in the state. “Certain steps need to be taken immediately and the situation demands that professionally trained security personnel be brought in...we are doubling the strength of our security staff,” he said.