A PhD student was booked on Monday after he allegedly tried to block Union Minister Kiran Rijiju’s convoy near the Mumbai University’s Kalina campus during an official visit.
The student, Rajesh Balkhande, is pursuing a doctorate in the Marathi Department and has reportedly been protesting on campus for the past 25 days over various demands, including a separate land allocation for the Pali language department.
According to police, Balkhande attempted to halt the minister’s convoy by lying down on the road. The incident occurred as Rijiju, Union Minister for Minority Affairs and Parliamentary Affairs, was arriving to attend a foundation stone-laying ceremony at the university.
“There were two functions organised on Monday one, a foundation stone laying ceremony of a building for the heritage language and cultural studies and second was an awards distribution ceremony in the Kalina university,” a police official said.
Minister Rijiju arrived at the university at around 10:50 am and, after the initial ceremony, was en route to the auditorium in a government convoy for another programme when the disruption took place.
Police said Balkhande jumped from the compound wall of the Annabhau Sathe hostel and laid down on the road, attempting to stop the convoy.
“The suspect was saying that he wanted to give an application to the minister and no one should stop him. The minister would get delayed for the event so the security guards removed him from the road and kept aside,” said a senior officer.
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Balasaheb Kharat, a 55-year-old security guard employed by the university, filed a complaint at the BKC police station. He alleged that when he tried to intervene, Balkhande became aggressive.
The FIR states: “He was trying to convince the student but the suspect started screaming loudly and also kicked the complainant in his abdomen.”
Following the incident, Balkhande was taken to BKC police station where a case was registered against him.
“We have not arrested him yet and a notice has been given to him,” said Deputy Commissioner of Police Manish Kalwaniya.
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Balkhande has been booked under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
The police added that Balkhande’s protest had previously been declared illegal, and he had been issued a notice by authorities. He had been sitting on a protest at “Monkey Point” inside the Kalina campus.
The incident led to a brief delay in the minister’s itinerary but the rest of the programme continued as scheduled.
Manish Kumar Pathak is a dedicated journalist reporting for The Indian Express from Mumbai. His work demonstrates substantial Expertise and Authority across the complex field of crime reporting, with a strong focus on law enforcement actions, fraud, and cyber security challenges facing the metropolitan region.
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Manish Kumar Pathak's consistent focus on crime, fraud, and the workings of the Mumbai police system establishes him as a trusted and authoritative source for critical news in Western India. ... Read More
