Police Record Statements Of Students, Probe Possible Radicalisation

Mumbai: The Mumbai police have begun recording statements of students from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) in connection with an event held on October 12 to mark the death anniversary of former Delhi University professor G.N. Saibaba. The event, which allegedly included slogans in support of jailed activists Sharjeel Imam and Umar Khalid, has led police to investigate whether students were influenced or radicalised by any external forces.

The FIR, registered on October 13 by the Trombay police based on a complaint from the TISS administration, names ten students and invokes several sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with the Maharashtra Police Act. The charges include promoting enmity between groups, creating prejudice against the state, and conducting an unlawful assembly without police permission.

Police sources confirmed that students have been served notices and summoned for questioning. “We are recording individual statements to determine who organised the gathering, who raised the slogans, and whether there is a larger network involved in influencing students,” said an officer involved in the investigation.

Police are also trying to trace the origin of the slogans supporting Sharjeel Imam and Umar Khalid, both former JNU students currently jailed under UAPA-related charges in the Delhi riots case.

A senior officer said, “Our inquiry is not limited to just this event. We are looking at whether there is a pattern of such gatherings being used to promote divisive or unlawful ideologies on campuses.”

The event allegedly occurred around 9 p.m. on Sunday, October 12, without any official intimation to the TISS administration or Mumbai police.

According to sources, the TISS administration was unaware of the programme, as no prior permission had been sought by the students. The event came to light only after videos and images from it surfaced on social media the following day.

Photographs show students standing beside portraits of G.N. Saibaba, who was acquitted last year after spending nearly a decade in prison under UAPA charges related to alleged Maoist links. He passed away in Hyderabad on October 12, 2023.

An FIR has been registered under sections 223, 190, 192, 196, 197, and 189 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with sections 37 and 135 of the Maharashtra Police Act.

Police continue to investigate whether the students acted independently or were influenced by external elements with ideological motives. The investigation remains ongoing.

To get details on exclusive and budget-friendly property deals in Mumbai & surrounding regions, do visit: https://budgetproperties.in/