Seven FTII Pune students booked for ‘insulting religious beliefs’

The Maharashtra Police on Wednesday booked seven students of the Film Television Institute of India in Pune for displaying a poster about the 1992 Babri mosque demolition on campus.

This was a day after a Hindutva mob barged into the campus, shouted slogans and set ablaze the banner, which said “Remember Babri, Death of Constitution”.

The men also allegedly attacked student union President Mankap Nokwoham, General Secretary Sayantan Chakrabarty and two others, including a female student, who had to be hospitalised.

A first information report against the students was registered at the Deccan Gymkhana Police Station on the basis of a complaint by Hindutva group Samast Hindu Bandhav Samajik Sanstha.

“The complainant stated that the act of the members of the students’ organisation was against national integration,” an unidentified police officer told The Times of India. “We have registered a case under sections 153B and 295A of the Indian Penal Code against the students and are investigating the same.”

The official said the police have booked the students under Section 153B (making imputations that are prejudicial to national integrity) and 295A (insulting religious beliefs) of the Indian Penal Code. However, they have not been detained.

“We will act in the case according to the court’s directives, considering that the charges are bailable in...

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