Bengaluru: A 19-year-old student was allegedly assaulted by four masked men in Bengaluru’s Jalahalli area last week, with the All India Students’ Association (AISA) claiming the attack was linked to his participation in nationwide protests over the NEET-UG controversy.

According to AISA, the incident occurred at around 10.30 pm on July 28 near BEL Circle, when the student was returning home.

Student allegedly attacked by masked men

AISA alleged that four masked men travelling on two motorcycles stopped the student, confirmed his identity and assaulted him with lathis.

The student reportedly suffered serious injuries to his leg and later required a plaster cast. The attackers fled after passersby intervened.

According to the complaint, the assailants allegedly questioned the student over his participation in protests demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, making remarks about his involvement before assaulting him.

AISA alleges attack linked to protest participation

The student had participated in demonstrations at Freedom Park in solidarity with the nationwide movement seeking the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the alleged NEET-UG paper leak.

AISA claimed the attackers had photographed participants during earlier protests and later used those images to identify individual protesters.

The organisation further alleged that the assailants were linked to the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), an allegation that the student body has denied.

FIR registered, ABVP rejects allegations

According to AISA, the FIR was not registered immediately, and students accompanying the victim were reportedly kept at the police station for several hours before being released.

An FIR was eventually registered at the Jalahalli Police Station on July 29 against unidentified persons, and an investigation is underway.

The ABVP’s Bengaluru unit has denied any involvement, describing AISA’s allegations as “baseless” and pointing out that no organisation has been named in the FIR.

AISA has demanded that Bengaluru Police identify and prosecute those responsible. The injured student is reported to be safe and recovering.