Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
An FIR has been registered against two college students and several others in Pune for allegedly glorifying a senior Maoist leader during a cultural programme at a government-run hostel in the Vishrantwadi area. Police said no arrests have been made so far and the investigation is ongoing.
The complaint was filed by Sub-Inspector Shabbir Shaikh at the Vishrantwadi police station. The accused included two BBA students from Gadchiroli district along with other participants. They have been booked under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for offences related to promoting enmity, statements prejudicial to national integration, and causing public mischief.
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The case is linked to a cultural event held earlier this month at the Bharatratna Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Government Hostel for Boys. During the programme, a group of nine students allegedly performed a dance to a remixed track that included the song “O Re Bandook Wale”, which police claimed portrayed Maoist commander Madvi Hidma in a glorified manner.
The performance, held between April 6 and April 14 as part of celebrations marking Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar’s 135th birth anniversary, was organised under the theme “Save Trees”. The controversy surfaced after a video of the act circulated on social media, prompting objections from some right-wing groups and triggering a police probe.
Following verification of the video, police booked two students, aged 22 and 23, who are pursuing a BBA (CA) course at a Pune college and reside in the hostel.
Madvi Hidma, a senior commander of the banned CPI (Maoist) and its People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army, was accused of masterminding multiple attacks on security forces over two decades and carried a bounty of Rs 1 crore. He was killed in an encounter with security forces in Andhra Pradesh in November 2025.
During preliminary questioning, the students told police they were unaware of Hidma’s background and had chosen the song because it is popular in the Vidarbha region and had appealing music. They also said their costumes were inspired by tribal freedom fighters such as Birsa Munda and Baburao Shedmake.
Officials from the Social Welfare Department indicated that the act did not appear intentional at first glance, while hostel authorities said the song selection may have been inadvertent. Police, however, said performing to a song linked to a Maoist commander could pose a threat to national integration and sovereignty, and added that further investigation is underway.
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SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
