SPPU students allege police beat them after promised meeting on circulars fails to take place

Pune, November 4, 2026: Tension rose at Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) on Wednesday. Representatives of several student organisations alleged that the university administration did not keep its promise to hold a meeting, and that police pushed around and beat students during a altercation on the campus.

Student representatives had gone to university officials to demand answers over two controversial circulars issued in 2024 and 2026. They say the circulars curb students' freedom of expression, democratic rights and right to protest on campus.

On November 2, Left, progressive and Ambedkarite student organisations held a protest. In talks with the Vice-Chancellor, the Pro-Vice-Chancellor and the Registrar, particularly on the demand to dissolve the Management Council, the administration is said to have promised a meeting with student representatives on November 4.

The organisations claim that no such meeting took place on Wednesday. After the Management Council meeting ended, the representatives asked council members Dr Devidas Vayadande and Dr Dhondiram Pawar, and acting Registrar Dr Prafulla Pawar, about the unkept promise.

In this discussion, the students also asked on what criteria the campus had permitted a route march by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), despite the restrictions imposed by the circulars.

According to the student representatives, the administration did not give satisfactory answers. They were told that the Management Council meeting had been postponed and that a meeting with members could be arranged after Diwali if students asked for it. The members are also said to have clarified that student organisations have the right to protest on national issues.

The situation worsened when the Vice-Chancellor and the Registrar began to leave without hearing the students out. The organisations allege that police forcibly removed students from the campus and beat many, including female students.

Kiran Saindane of Samyak Vidyarthi Andolan alleged that he had asked the Vice-Chancellor for just two minutes to speak on the controversial circulars. Instead of letting him speak, he said, police held his arms, forcibly took him towards a vehicle and pushed him around. He demanded that the Vice-Chancellor take responsibility for the incident and that action be taken against those concerned.

Abhishek Shelkar, president of the SPPU unit of the Vidyapeethiya Vidyarthi Sangharsh Kruti Samiti, said the administration paid no attention to students' concerns, did not keep its promises and did not respect freedom of expression. He said this had badly shaken trust in the university authorities. He added that the organisations would continue their fight by constitutional and democratic means.

Adv. Abhijit Gore Deshmukh, Pune president of the NSUI, alleged that the administration used police against student representatives, including NSUI office-bearers, in an attempt to suppress students' democratic rights. He demanded that the circulars linked to the protest be withdrawn immediately.

Hansraj Khune, Pune city president of the Republican Vidyarthi Sena, criticised the administration's stand on the circulars. He announced that his organisation would intensify the agitation and directly demand the Vice-Chancellor's resignation.

Aditya Kasare, vice-president of the SFI's Pune city committee, also condemned the alleged police action. He said progressive, Left and Ambedkarite student organisations had been protesting against the two circulars for the past few days. He alleged that the administration had not begun a dialogue despite a written assurance to arrange talks. He also alleged that police beat ordinary students and organisation representatives.

Background: On November 2, several student organisations protested at the university against circulars numbered 316/2024 and 226/2026. They alleged that the university had placed curbs on students' personal freedom, freedom of expression and democratic activities. Their demands were that both circulars be withdrawn, the Management Council be dissolved, moral policing on the campus be stopped, and student representatives be consulted before decisions concerning students are taken.

After talks with the administration, two demands were accepted: an immediate end to moral policing that affects students' personal freedom, and consultation with student representatives and organisations before major decisions. The administration is also said to have promised to remove barricades on the campus that create an atmosphere like a security camp. The demand concerning the Management Council and the withdrawal of the controversial circulars remained unresolved.

The events of November 4 have further widened the dispute between the student organisations and the administration. The organisations have reiterated that their agitation will continue by constitutional and democratic means until the circulars are withdrawn, students' rights are protected and responsibility is fixed for the alleged police beating.