Pune: Symbiosis College Teacher Arrested for 'Hurting Religious Sentiments'

An individual named Ashok Dhole, who was a teacher at Symbiosis College of Arts and Commerce in Pune, has been apprehended by the police for allegedly making disrespectful remarks concerning Hindu deities. The incident came to light through a video circulating online, where the teacher can be seen making objectionable comments during a classroom session. Having served as a Hindi professor at the college for a period of 18 years, Dhole has now been suspended from his teaching responsibilities, according to the college administration.

The arrest of the 43-year-old professor occurred on Thursday after he purportedly uttered offensive statements that caused offense to religious sentiments linked to Hindu beliefs. Dr. Hrishikesh Soman, the principal of the college, stated that the video had been recorded by a student during a class. Subsequently, an organization brought the video to the college's attention, prompting them to take action. Given the college's affiliation with government aid, an inquiry process has been initiated alongside the suspension.

Protests were staged outside the college on the same day by members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), a student organization associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), who demanded appropriate action against the teacher. The ABVP activists claimed that the professor attempted to sow discord among students by making derogatory comments about Lord Shriram and Hindu deities. This information was shared through a tweet by the student association.

Senior Inspector VV Hasabnis of the Deccan Gymkhana police station confirmed that the Symbiosis College teacher has been arrested under section 295 of the Indian Penal Code, which pertains to deliberate and malicious actions aimed at outraging religious sentiments. The arrested individual is scheduled to appear in court on Friday for further legal proceedings. This information has been reported with inputs from PTI sources.