Maharashtra: 4 professors assaulted in Ratnagiri, college management representative among 5 held

The Guhagar police arrested five persons, including Sandeep Bhosale, secretary of the Guhagar Education Society, which runs the college.

According to the complaint, the incident happened on December 18 near the main gate of the college when the professors — Govind Sanap, Anil Hirgond, Santosh Jadhav, and Neelkanth Bhalerao — were entering the college premises.

The professors were attacked with iron rods and wooden sticks by the president of Guhagar Education Society, Mahesh Bhosale, secretary Sandeep Bhosale, and seven others, the complaint alleged in the FIR registered on the same day.

Superintendent of Police of Ratnagiri district Dhananjay Kulkarni said that while Sandeep Bhosale, Ajit Surve, Rakesh Sakharkar were arrested on December 21, the two other accused, Rohan Bhosale and Suraj Deokar, were arrested on Tuesday.

“All the five accused were presented in court Tuesday. The court granted judicial custody for Bhosale and Surve, while the other three were sent to police custody until December 26,” he said.

In-charge principal of the college Mahendra Gaikwad, said, “The reported incident occurred outside the college premises. Furthermore, the police are investigating the case.”

Gaikwad refused to speak about the allegations made by professors regarding “mismanagement”.

Vice-president of Guhagar Education Society Anil Joshi was unavailable for comments despite several attempts.

Condemning the assault on professors, president of Bombay University and College Teachers Union (BUCTU) Dr G B Raje said, “The professors have complained that they were beaten for refusing to participate in exam-related malpractices taking place in this college. Apart from strict punishments for attackers, we also demand that Mumbai University conducts an investigation into the allegations raised by the professors.”