Pune, A group identifying with Hindutva ideology forcefully entered the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) campus in Pune, Maharashtra, resulting in the burning of a banner and the assault of several students, including the president and general secretary of the FTII Students’ Association.

According to Kashmir Media Service, the incident occurred on Tuesday afternoon when the assailants, chanting “Jai Shri Ram,” burnt the FTII Students’ Association banner that displayed the message “Remember Babri, death of constitution.” They also vandalized a wall featuring photos arranged by students to commemorate the Babri Masjid.

The attack targeted FTIISA president Mankap Nokwoham, general secretary Sayantan Chakrabarty, and two other students, leading to their hospitalization at Sassoon Hospital. A student reported that the attack happened despite the presence of security personnel, indicating a significant breach of campus security.

Concerns were raised about the police’s response, as they reportedly observed the attack without intervening. The students, in reaction to the assault and the perceived lapse in security, have initiated a sit-in protest on campus and are seeking legal avenues to address the incident.

The students had earlier raised a banner and organized a photo exhibition in remembrance of the Babri Masjid on the day of the Ram temple inauguration in Uttar Pradesh, a site where the Babri Masjid, demolished in 1992, once stood.