MUMBAI: A 52-year-old student of Mumbai University was booked for obstructing Union Minister Kiren Rijiju’s convoy from passing and threatening security officers when he was stopped outside the Green Technology auditorium in Bandra east on Monday.
According to the complaint filed by Balasaheb Baburao Kharat, 55, head security officer at the university, the accused, Rajesh Janardan Balkhande, a PhD student in the Marathi department of the university, had been protesting near the university gate for the past 25 days for various demands. The university had even issued a letter to the student on August 21, telling him the protest was illegal, but the student had refused to stop.
Kharat said that on Monday the university was holding a foundation laying ceremony for the Heritage Language and Cultural Studies Excellence Center building. After that there was to be an award distribution ceremony where Rijiju was to be the chief guest.
As per the Bandra-Kurla police, Kharat claimed that at 1:50pm the chief guest arrived at the Language Bhavan. After the groundbreaking ceremony the guests were heading to the Green Technology auditorium for the next program when Balkhande jumped over the protective wall of Annabhau Sathe Hostel and laid down on the road where the convoy was passing.
Kharat told the police that Balkhande then said he had to submit a petition to the guests and no one should stop him. “Despite requesting Balkhande to move to the side of the road, he did not comply, and as the minister’s convoy was approaching, security guards Rajesh Bhoki and Manojkumar Bunni along with others tried to stop him from creating a security issue,” said Kharat. He added that Balkhande then manhandled the security guards, and anticipating that he would delay the convoy or pose a threat to the minister, Kharat called the police.
{{/usCountry}}Kharat told the police that Balkhande then said he had to submit a petition to the guests and no one should stop him. “Despite requesting Balkhande to move to the side of the road, he did not comply, and as the minister’s convoy was approaching, security guards Rajesh Bhoki and Manojkumar Bunni along with others tried to stop him from creating a security issue,” said Kharat. He added that Balkhande then manhandled the security guards, and anticipating that he would delay the convoy or pose a threat to the minister, Kharat called the police.
{{/usCountry}}The police officers took him to the BKC police station, and based on Kharat’s complaint they booked Balkhande under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Balkhande had raised concerns about the problems in campus hostels, including the shortage of rooms for students. In his protest, he also demanded government aid for the Pali department, pointing out that it is currently running without grants, which has led to rising course fees. Earlier, in 2023, he had staged an agitation demanding hostel facilities for himself.
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