A professor and five students of the Pune University were arrested for allegedly hurting the religious sentiments of a community during the staging of a play based on ’Ramleela’, police said on Saturday.
The play, staged on the university campus on Friday, reportedly had objectionable dialogues and scenes. A scuffle broke out Friday evening between members of the RSS-affiliated Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and students of Pune University’s Lalit Kala Kendra over the play.
The play, staged by the Lalit Kala Kendra, was based on the backstage sallies of actors who perform various roles in ’Ramleela’. In a viral video of the play, a male artist portraying Sita was shown smoking a cigarette and using abusive language.
ABVP functionary Harshvardhan Harpude lodged a complaint based on which, a case was registered under section 295 (A) (deliberate and malicious intention of outraging the religious feelings of any class) and other relevant provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), inspector Ankush Chintaman said.
The police arrested Dr Pravin Bhole, the head of the department of the Lalit Kala Kendra, and students Bhavesh Patil, Jay Pednekar, Prathamesh Sawant, Rishikesh Dalvi and Yash Chikhle, the official added.
The FIR stated that when members of the ABVP raised objections to the play and stopped the performance, the artists assaulted them.
(With PTI inputs)
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