India

Pune: 5 Students, Professor Arrested Over Allegedly Offending Religious Sentiments in ‘Ramleela’ Play

All’s well that ends well but the ending of the ‘Ramleela’ play staged on a university campus in Pune didn’t go as imagined. A professor and five students from Savitribai Phule Pune University have been arrested on charges of allegedly offending the religious sentiments of the Hindu community, according to news agency PTI.

The arrests were made in connection with a play based on ‘Ramleela’ that purportedly contained objectionable dialogues and scenes. A viral video of the performance depicted a male artist, portraying Sita, smoking a cigarette and using offensive language.

The play, staged on the university campus, resulted in a confrontation between members of the RSS-affiliated Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and students from Pune University’s Lalit Kala Kendra.

The production by Lalit Kala Kendra, officially known as the Centre for Performing Arts, focused on the backstage banter of actors involved in various roles in ‘Ramleela’. Following a complaint filed by ABVP functionary Harshvardhan Harpude, a case was registered under section 295 (A) of the Indian Penal Code, which pertains to the deliberate and malicious intention of outraging the religious feelings of any class, along with other relevant provisions.

Among those arrested by the police are Dr. Pravin Bhole, the head of the Lalit Kala Kendra department, and students Bhavesh Patil, Jay Pednekar, Prathamesh Sawant, Rishikesh Dalvi, and Yash Chikhle.

(With inputs from PTI)

Also Read: News Of LK Advani Getting Bharat Ratna Creates Buzz In The Political World

Malika Sahni

Recent Posts

Sonia Gandhi’s Lawyer Concludes Arguments In National Herald Case; Rahul Gandhi To Present On 5 July

Singhvi defends Sonia Gandhi, calling ED’s money laundering claims in the National Herald case politically…

52 mins ago

PM Modi’s Trinidad & Tobago Visit Marks Renewed Commitment To Stronger Bilateral Ties: MEA

India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal on Friday described PM Narendra Modi’s…

59 mins ago

EAM Jaishankar To Visit China For SCO Meet Amid Renewed Diplomatic Push

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will travel to China from July 13 for the Shanghai…

1 hour ago

President Trump Administration To Notify Trade Partners Of Tariff Hikes Effective August 1

President Donald Trump announced late Thursday that his administration will begin sending formal letters to…

1 hour ago

Operation Sindoor Symbolises The Spirit Of Swaraj, Says HM Amit Shah At NDA Event

Home Minister Shah emphasised the enduring relevance of Swaraj (self-rule), citing Operation Sindoor as a…

3 hours ago

Indian Markets End Higher Amid Trade Deal Hopes & Value Buying

Indian stock markets closed higher on July 4 amid value buying and optimism over India-US…

3 hours ago