Fresh FIR against 150 Congress, NSUI workers over alleged COEP hostel trespass

According to the complaint, the dispute began after an NSUI group filmed a female student on August 19 and circulated the video on social media

Pune city police have registered a fresh case against around 100 to 150 Congress and National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) workers for allegedly entering the College of Engineering Pune (COEP) Technological University’s hostel premises without permission during a protest last week.

This is the second FIR registered in connection with the clash between Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), Congress and NSUI workers at the COEP campus. (VIDEO GRAB)

The FIR was registered at Shivajinagar police station on Sunday following a complaint by Dr Raju Pachkor, chief administrative officer of the university’s hostel department. The university has alleged that the protesters entered the hostel premises without permission, manhandled security personnel, and raised slogans near the girls’ hostel.

According to the complaint, the dispute began after an NSUI group filmed a female student on August 19 and circulated the video on social media. The university claimed that the student was made to speak about being charged fees applicable to general-category students despite being admitted under the orphan student quota. The university further alleged that on the evening of August 21, a group of Congress and NSUI workers arrived at the hostel and allegedly forced their way through the entrance after security guards tried to stop them. The police were subsequently summoned to the spot, and the protesters were evicted from the premises. Further according to the complaint, a reporter from an electronic media organisation entered the college premises without permission.

This is the second FIR registered in connection with the clash between Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), Congress and NSUI workers at the COEP campus. Youth Congress leader Akshay Jain demanded that the case against journalists in the COEP matter be withdrawn, calling it politically motivated. “Filing criminal cases against journalists for questioning those in power amounts to an attack on the fourth pillar of democracy. Political activists and journalists should not be intimidated or silenced through pressure or false cases,” he said.

The case has been registered under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including sections related to unlawful assembly, rioting, trespass, criminal intimidation, intentional insult, defamation and acts against private defence, along with section 135. Further investigation is underway.