Nearly half a dozen people wearing masks and dark glasses attacked the state headquarters of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) in Mumbai’s Matunga area on Saturday. At least one party activist was injured in the attack.
The attackers, whose identity or affiliations were not immediately clear, were protesting the recent suicide of Dalit research scholar Rohith Vemula of the University of Hyderabad.
Armed with rods and hockey sticks, they barged into the ABVP office in Matunga and started damaging the furniture and fittings, said state organising secretary Raghunath Deshpande.
The attackers shouted slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and union ministers Smriti Irani and Bandaru Dattatreya before fleeing the scene.
ABVP activist Francis D’Souza, who was injured, was taken to a hospital.
Raghunath Deshpande, ABVP State Organising SecretaryWe strongly condemn this attack. Two days ago, even our Bengaluru office was similarly attacked. This could lead to a bad situation and we urge the central and state governments to take effective steps to control these rowdy elements
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)