Police in Pune, Maharashtra, reported an incident where a 19-year-old Muslim university student was allegedly assaulted by five unidentified individuals on suspicion of involvement in “love jihad.” The event occurred on Sunday afternoon at Savitribai Phule Pune University, where the student was accompanying two female peers.
Authorities from the Chatushringi police station stated that a case has been filed against the unknown perpetrators, and investigations are ongoing to identify them. The university has initiated an inquiry into the matter, forming a committee to investigate the incident.
“Love jihad” is a term used by certain right-wing groups to assert a purported scheme by Muslim men to convert Hindu women to Islam through marriage.
According to the police, the male student and his friends were returning from a meal when several individuals on motorbikes approached them on campus. After questioning the student and demanding to see his Aadhaar card, one of the individuals allegedly accused him of involvement in “love jihad” upon noticing his name on the card. Subsequently, the student and a Hindu male friend present with him were reportedly assaulted.
A police official mentioned that a complaint has been registered against the assailants under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code, and efforts are being made to locate them using CCTV footage. The complainant is enrolled in a skill development course at the university, as stated by the police.
Vijay Khare, the university’s registrar, expressed concern over the incident and announced the formation of a fact-finding committee to investigate further. Additionally, he urged security personnel to prevent similar incidents of student harassment by taking appropriate measures.
Source: PTI
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