Pune: A violent altercation erupted at Pune University’s Adarsh Canteen when a group of seven to eight individuals brutally assaulted a young man, inflicting injuries over the deletion of a political post on a WhatsApp group. The disturbing incident unfolded on Friday, March 22nd, around 4:30 p.m., sending shockwaves through the campus community and prompting swift police intervention.
Anil Bhimrao Funde, a 28-year-old resident of Old Sangvi, filed a complaint with the Chaturshringi police, detailing the harrowing assault. In response, authorities have registered a case against eight individuals under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including IPC 324, 323, 504, 506, 143, 147, and 149. The accused include Ram Tarpade, Karan Wakode, Vaibhav Dighe, Ganesh Kakade, and several other unidentified assailants.
According to police reports, the victim, a first-year student in the Philosophy Department at Savitribai Phule Pune University, is a member of the ‘SPPU Boys Hostel Group’ on social media. The altercation ensued after accused Ram Tarpade posted a political message endorsing Congress candidate, violating the group’s ban on political content dissemination. In response, the victim, Anil Bhimrao Funde, removed the post, infuriating Tarpade and his associates.
On Friday, Tarpade reportedly confronted Funde near the university canteen, launching a barrage of verbal abuse. Accompanied by Wakode, Dighe, Kakade, and other unidentified individuals, Tarpade escalated the altercation by hurling a plastic chair at Funde, resulting in physical injuries. Funde sustained injuries as a result of the assault, prompting police intervention.
Assistant Police Inspector Sambhaji Gurav is leading the ongoing investigation into the matter.