Nagpur varsity suspends Prof Shoma Sen held for alleged Maoist links

Nagpur university vice chancellor says he had sought legal opinion on the issue and Prof Shoma Sen’s suspension is also due to her remaining in police custody for more than 48 hours.

Prof Shoma Sen, who was recently arrested for alleged Maoist links, was suspended on Friday by Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University (RTMNU), where she was the head of English department.

A logo of Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University, Nagpur.

On June 6, the Pune police probing the January 1 Bhima Koregaon violence, had arrested five people, including Sen, for allegedly having Maoist links.

Vice chancellor of the university, Dr SP Kane, said Sen has been suspended from the service till further orders.

“She was suspended on the basis of information received from Pune police that she has been detained under various IPC sections,” Kane said while replying to a query.

“Similarly, I had sought legal opinion on the issue and her suspension is also due to her remaining in police custody for more than 48 hours,” he said.

Besides Sen, Pune police had also arrested activist Mahesh Raut and lawyer Surendra Gadling from Nagpur, prominent Dalit activist Sudhir Dhawale from Mumbai and Rona Wilson from his flat in Delhi.

According to police, Dhawale was one of the organisers of Elgar Parishad, which was held to commemorate 200 years of the Bhima Koregaon battle on December 31 at Shaniwarwada.

Kabir Kala Manch activists had allegedly made provocative speeches at the wvent leading to violence at Bhima Koregaon in the district, according to an FIR registered at Vishrambaug police station after the event.

One person was killed in the caste violence between two groups near Sanaswadi, adjacent to Bhima Koregaon. The violence led to a statewide Dalit agitation.

The mobs had damaged and torched several vehicles and shops on New Year’s day and the houses of local residents were also ransacked.