After ABVP Vandalism, Azim Premji University Says Protesters 'Misinformed', Files Complaint Against Students
Bengaluru: Around 20 Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) members vandalised Azim Premji University's (APU's) Sarjapur Road campus in Bengaluru on Tuesday (February 24) evening claiming that an event organised by Spark APU Reading Circle to discuss the alleged mass rape of Kashmiri women in Kunan Poshpora village in Kupwara by Indian armed forces on February 23, 1991 "promoted anti-national thoughts". The university administration said "the event did not happen" and the protestors were "misinformed".
Describing the event as "anti-national and Kashmir separatist," ABVP members blackened the name board of the university outside the main gate and wrote "Ban Spark" in the university premises, vandalised the property, shouted slogans and assaulted security guards and students. ABVP is the student wing of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Spark is a magazine run by student youth activists. Spark APU reading circle is affiliated with the All India Students Association (AISA), the student wing of the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation. The day of the alleged rapes is marked as Kashmiri Women’s Resistance Day. The Indian army has denied the incident. The Supreme Court has, however, ordered a reinvestigation after a petition was file in 2013.
"They [ABVP] shouted slogans, vandalised some of the property, and assaulted a few of our security guards and students. All protesting members were outsiders. These outsiders had been misinformed about the event through a post from the social media handle of Spark APU. This social media handle is not authorised by the Azim Premji University and does not represent the University in any way. No permission had been sought from the university for the event. University policy requires students to seek permission for organising any such event. The event did not happen," Azim Premji University spokesperson told The Wire via an e-mail.
On Spark APU reading circle Instagram page, two posts indicate that an event was scheduled in remembrance of the Kunan Poshpora incident on February 24 at 6 pm in Kabira Plaza in the university campus.
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Azim Premji University registrar Rishikesh B.S. has filed a complaint with the Sarjapur police against the university's own students who are in charge of the Spark APU reading circle, accusing them of instigating trouble at the university and repeatedly “defaming” it. A case has been registered under sections under Sections 66E (violation of privacy) and 67 (transmitting obscene material in electronic form) of the Information Technology Act, and Section 229 (giving false evidence) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Reacting to the police complaint, the university's student council on Thursday (February 26) said in a statement, "We acknowledge that organising a campus event without prior administrative approval may constitute a breach of University protocol. However, the Student Council is of the view that such a breach is best addressed through the University's own internal mechanisms such as the Disciplinary Committee, rather than through an FIR."
The council added: "What concerns us most is the asymmetry in outcomes that has followed the events of the past few days. Those who entered this campus uninvited, caused physical harm to members of our community, and damaged university property have been granted bail and face bailable charges. Meanwhile, our students who organised a peaceful gathering, whatever the procedural lapses, are now subject to a non-bailable offence under Section 299."
Further, the students underlined that the university actively encourages critical engagement with history, politics, and social justice and they are taught to ask hard questions and have considered the university to be a safe space for open discussions. "For the administration to respond to students doing exactly that with a criminal FIR undermines the very intellectual freedom this institution is founded on."
Urging the administration to reconsider the decision to pursue criminal action against these students, the council said that they are committed to working towards a "solution that protects the well-being of our students".
The university spokesperson mentioned that the administration reported the incident immediately to the local police station (Sarjapura, Bangalore). "The police acted swiftly and rounded them up," the spokesperson added.
Screengrab of a video showing police taking ABVP members from Azim Premji University campus. Photo: Instagram.
The police have detained 18 people in connection with the incident.
In a statement on Wednesday (February 25), AISA underlined that the police did not make ant "immediate or visible attempt" to prevent the mob.
"Equally disturbing was the response of the police, who despite being present at the site, mostly remained passive spectators even as the vandalism occurred and the ABVP goons tried to enter campus forcefully. No immediate or visible attempt was made to prevent the mob from entering the campus or to de-escalate the situation. This inaction reflects a troubling pattern of complacency when right-wing groups engage in acts of intimidation and violence," AISA wrote.
The student body added: "The ABVP’s repeated assault on campus democracy and the student community, whether it is APU, Bengaluru University, CUK, HCU, JNU, DU, Allahabad University and all other stems from their deliberate attack on the culture of debate, dissent and discussion that fosters critical thinking."
Meanwhile, the ABVP Bengaluru unit has demanded an immediate ban on AISA and it’s affiliate Spark in all the campuses in the state capital. They have posted a video celebrating the vandalism act adding, "The members of AISA during our protest raised Kashmir Separtist slogans, and threw slippers on the National flag, disrespecting it. The members of AISA even gave death threats and threatened to attack our offices in Bengaluru."
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On the contrary, individuals associated with Spark APU reading circle alleged that "ABVP also threw slippers at the students to trigger them right in front of the police personnel and later conveniently accused the students of throwing slippers at the national flag on a social media post."
In a video circulating on social media, ABVP members are seen throwing slippers at the students from inside a bus as the police take them away.
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This article is updated with the information related to police complaint filed by university administration against its own students and the statement of the student council and republished at 11.58 am IST on February 26, 2026.
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