VIDEO: Student Alleges Assault By RPF Personnel At Pune Station, Says Eardrum Was Perforated

On August 24, a 25-year-old Digital Media student at Savitribai Phule Pune University, Ronit Rabhaji Arune, alleged he was brutally assaulted by Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel at Pune Railway Station. This assault allegedly left Arune with a perforated left eardrum, causing him significant physical and academic distress.

According to Arune, around 11pm near the Hitachi ATM close to the station's main entrance, he witnessed RPF personnel assaulting workers and members of the public. He claimed to have intervened and recorded the incident on his mobile phone. However, the RPF personnel reportedly became angered by Arune's recording and forcibly dragged him to their post. Inside the RPF post, Arune alleges he sustained a severe blow to his left ear and head, causing his eardrum to rupture and leaving him in severe mental shock.

Medical records from Sassoon General Hospital, including a medico-legal case number (MLC) 25855, confirm a perforated left eardrum and blood clots. An ENT examination at the university's health center also recorded "Left TM Traumatic Perforation" and recommended tympanoplasty surgery. Arune, whose education and career depend on his hearing, emphasized the injury's impact on his studies and future professional prospects.

Seeking justice, Arune has filed an FIR, demanded the suspension of the involved RPF personnel, preservation of CCTV footage from the station and RPF post area, and compensation for his medical expenses, surgical needs, academic losses, and career impact. The Free Press Journal attempted to contact the RPF for a response but did not receive one.