Eighteen members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) were detained by police after they entered the Azim Premji University campus in Bengaluru on Tuesday, 24 February to protest a student event, which they alleged was 'anti-national' and critical of the Indian Army. During the protest, ABVP members vandalised university property, including smearing black ink on signboards and spray-painting walls. Security staff intervened, and police were called to restore order.
According to Scroll, the ABVP alleged that the university permitted a student group to organise an event that depicted the Indian Army negatively and contained content they described as “anti-national.”
The event was reportedly intended to discuss the Kunan Poshpora incident, which involves allegations of mass rape by security personnel in Kashmir in 1991. The university, however, stated it had not authorised any such event.
As reported by Financial Express, ABVP members entered the campus, spray-painted walls, and smeared black ink on signboards before security intervened. Police detained approximately 25 individuals to prevent further escalation, and two platoons of the State Reserve Police were deployed as a precaution. The university clarified that the disputed event did not take place and condemned the acts of vandalism.
As highlighted by The News Minute, eyewitnesses reported that over 20 ABVP activists, none of whom were university students, forced their way onto campus around 6:30 pm. They raised slogans and wrote graffiti demanding a ban on the Spark Reading Circle, the student group that had organised the discussion. A student who questioned the group was reportedly assaulted and required hospital treatment. The university administration subsequently locked down the campus to ensure student safety.
As noted in an article by The Indian Express, Superintendent of Police Chandrakanth MV confirmed that police were not informed in advance about the protest. He stated, “As soon as we came to know, we rushed to the spot and brought the situation under control. They should have submitted a written intimation and informed the local police before the protest. Citizens cannot take the law into their own hands.”
“We strongly condemn the ruckus and violence that was unleashed on our campus by this external group of people,” the university said in its official statement.
Student witnesses described the incident as an “alarming attack on academic freedom and democratic dissent” according to statements issued after the event. The university reiterated that it follows strict procedures for event approvals and that the disputed programme did not occur.
Police confirmed that the detained ABVP members were removed from the campus and that the situation was stabilised as authorities responded. The university administration has since increased security measures and urged students to remain in their hostels for safety.
Following the incident, students organised a protest against the ABVP’s actions and called for government intervention as coverage revealed. The ABVP, in a memorandum to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, demanded action against the student group and university administration, while the university maintained its condemnation of the violence and reaffirmed its commitment to campus safety.
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.