Bengaluru saw a disturbing event where Islamophobia was allegedly demonstrated in an academic environment when a teacher at PES University reportedly insulted a Muslim student by making disparaging remarks against him during the class. The matter, which soon became a topic on social media, has resulted in police involvement and the lockdown of the professor by the university officials. The professor named Muralidhar Deshpande is said to have called the student Affan a "terrorist" more than 13 times during a lecture in which around 60 students were present. A video of the classroom incident, which was secretly filmed on a mobile phone on March 24, went viral resulting in an uproar from all quarters.
As per the National Students' Union of India (NSUI) who filed the complaint, the professor also made other malicious remarks like "The Iran war happened because of people like you, " "Trump will take you away, " and "You are idiots, you will go to hell." These words apparently made the student and the other people in the class feel hostile and humiliated. The university management responsed very quickly to the criticism and put Deshpande on suspension awaiting the investigation of the case. The decision is a sign to students, parents, and staff that such behaviour like discrimination or inciting hatred is not allowed by the institution.
The incident was reported to law enforcement on March 27 when Lakshya Raj, NSUI's Bengaluru Central District president, filed a complaint against the professor. Plus, the girinagar Police opened a non-cognisable report instead of an FIR. Plus, The student was sent back when he tried to go to the station. That silence kicked off backlash from students and civil society groups. Critics said there was no urgency in the response.
Monitoring the video, head constable Ravikumar T N saw it online. No formal request was needed Police acted immediately. They filed a suo motu case against Deshpande under Section 299 of the indian Penal Code for acts meant to outrage religious sentiments. Now, Section 352 is also included for intentional insults causing unrest. The Bengaluru Non-cognisable Summons Act (BNS), 2023, is cited too. Investigation continues.
Who controls the classroom footage? The complainant says it was deleted. That footage could be vital evidence. This raises questions about transparency in how universities handle sensitive events and how police respond on campus.
The Students Islamic Organisation of india (SIO), Karnataka chapter, called it Islamophobia in academic settings. Mohammed Hayyan, SIO's state secretary, said such actions break basic rules of inclusivity and respect in education. The group wants the professor removed immediately and faces legal action. But they also want the state government to improve checks and make sure no discrimination happens on campus.
The episode highlights broader challenges in maintaining a safe and respectful environment in educational institutions, underscoring the need for proactive measures against harassment and bias. With increasing awareness and advocacy, stakeholders hope incidents like this prompt both legal and institutional reforms to ensure campuses remain inclusive spaces for all students.
