COEP Hostel Clash Erupts In Pune Ahead Of Rahul Gandhi Event; NSUI, ABVP Trade Charges | Video

On Friday night, tensions flared at the College of Engineering Pune Technological University (COEP) hostel, a day before Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was set to interact with students on his "Chhatron Ki Goonj" program. Members of the National Student Union of India (NSUI), representing Congress, and the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) got into a confrontation.

Police arrived after both groups gathered, raising slogans. The dispute centered around two female students who had previously spoken to the media about scholarship issues and their support for Gandhi's program. NSUI representatives alleged that ABVP members entered the hostel, threatened the students, and confined them to their rooms for expressing their opinions.

ABVP denied these claims, instead accusing around 100-150 Congress and NSUI supporters of pressuring students to attend Gandhi's event and assaulting those who resisted. Both sides' allegations could not be independently verified. Congress MLA Vijay Wadettiwar visited the scene, claiming that ABVP members threatened and beat two female students who supported Gandhi's program. He called it an attempt to suppress students' freedom of expression and demanded police action.