Azim Premji University Files FIR Against Students Who Organised Kashmir Event
18 ABVP members were detained by the police yesterday for vandalising the Sarjapur campus of Azim Premji University.
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On 24 February 2026, Azim Premji University in Bengaluru filed a police complaint against its own students associated with Spark Reading Circle, which had organised a discussion on the 1991 Kunan Poshpora incident the day before.
The university registrar submitted the complaint after the purported event led to agitations by members of RSS-affiliated student group Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), who forcibly entered the campus, vandalised property and allegedly assaulted a student and security personnel. 18 ABVP members were detained by the police yesterday.
According to The News Minute, the complaint was lodged with Sarjapura police by Registrar Rishikesh BS, who cited repeated “defamation” of the university and alleged that the Spark Reading Circle APU’s social media activity had created enmity between groups. The complaint specifically referenced an Instagram post about the 1991 Kunan-Poshpora incident in Kashmir, stating that the event was organised without official permission.
Police registered a case under Sections 66E and 67 of the Information Technology Act, and Section 229 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, as coverage revealed. The university maintained that the Spark Reading Circle APU Instagram account was not officially affiliated with the institution, and urged authorities to identify those responsible for the posts and take appropriate action.
As Hindustan Times stated in an article, the incident escalated when members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) entered the campus, allegedly assaulted a student and security guards, and vandalised university property. The university reported the incident to police, who detained several ABVP activists and confirmed that an investigation was ongoing.
State Home Minister G Parameshwara defended the police response, emphasising the importance of allowing universities to host discussions, even on contentious topics. He stated, “Should the police remain silent when people take the law into their own hands and attempt to prevent an event or attack students?” Analysis showed that the government would act against those interfering with campus events and that steps had been taken to maintain order.
“The University follows strict procedures before any event is held on campus. This event, which was allegedly planned by a small group of students, did not happen at all. We strongly condemn the ruckus and violence that was unleashed on our campus by this external group of people,” the university stated.
In response to the incident, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah commented that strict action would be taken against any organisation acting against the law, as details emerged. The Chief Minister reiterated the government’s commitment to upholding law and order on educational campuses.
Counter-protests were organised by university students, who condemned the ABVP’s actions and called for government intervention. The All India Students’ Association described the incident as a “deliberate attack on the culture of debate, dissent and discussion that fosters critical thinking,” according to further reporting.
“Now, they have posted content that creates enmity between groups and misused the name of our university on social media,” Registrar Rishikesh BS stated in the complaint, urging police to determine the people behind the Instagram account and take action.
Political leaders also weighed in, with some supporting the university’s stance and others calling for action against organisations allegedly acting against national interests. The police investigation into both the student organisers and the ABVP activists continued, with authorities stating that all necessary steps had been taken to ensure campus safety as the situation developed.
Note: This article is produced using AI-assisted tools and is based on publicly available information. It has been reviewed by The Quint's editorial team before publishing.