Published Mar 29, 2026 | 10:20 AM ⚊ Updated Mar 29, 2026 | 1:08 PM
Bengaluru Police.
Synopsis: The Bengaluru Police registered a suo motu FIR against a professor from PES University for calling a Muslim student “terrorist” and making derogatory remarks during a class. The FIR stated that CCTV footage, which could have served as crucial evidence, was allegedly deleted.
The Bengaluru Police on Saturday, 28 March, registered a suo motu FIR against a professor from PES University for calling a Muslim student “terrorist” and making derogatory remarks during a class.
The professor has been booked under sections 299 (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) and 352 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
“We did not receive a complaint from the student. However, taking cognisance of the video and based on preliminary findings, we registered a case on our own. Further investigation is underway,” a senior police officer said.
The FIR stated that CCTV footage, which could have served as crucial evidence, was allegedly deleted.
On Friday, PES University suspended the professor, Muralidhar Deshpande, and a detailed inquiry was launched after he was caught calling a Muslim student a terrorist in a now viral video.
The letter addressed to the professor read: ” A case of student complaint has been received. Pending detail enquiry into the matter you are kept under suspension with immediate effect.”
While the incident allegedly took place on 24 March, it came to light after a video of Deshpande making the derogatory remarks went viral on social media.
According to further reports, he also made remarks such as “Iran war happened because of people like you,” “Trump will take you away,” and “You will go to hell.”
A police complaint also has been filed by the National Students Union of India (NSUI), the student wing of Congress, with Bengaluru police.
A similar incident had come to light in 2022, in Manipal University, where a professor compared a Muslim student to the convicted terrorist Ajmal Kasab.
According to a BBC report, a professor at the Manipal Institute of Technology in the Udupi district allegedly asked a student for his name and then, upon hearing it, said, “Oh, you are like Kasab.”
(With inputs from Anisha Reddy.)
