On 13th October, the Mumbai police filed a First Information Report (FIR) against at least 10 students at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), reported The Indian Express. The action was taken after they commemorated the death anniversary of Naxal supporter G N Saibaba. He was a Professor of English at the Delhi University and was in jail because of having links with the Maoists.
The students also raised slogans in support of Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam, two former JNU students who are incarcerated in connection with the Delhi riots. The TISS administration filed a complaint which led to the filing of the FIR.
GN Saibaba was accused of helping Naxals.
— Harshil (હર્ષિલ) (@MehHarshil) October 12, 2025
His death anniversary being celebrated in TISS without any approval.
What Mumbai Police and TISS VC Badri Narayan Tiwari doing?
Hope CM Dev Fadnavis shows some action now! @MumbaiPolice @Dev_Fadnavis pic.twitter.com/ItFJJxfJBN
A police officer confirmed the same, stating that an offence was lodged on multiple allegations including unlawful assembly, inciting animosity between different groups and spreading prejudice to the country. According to the officer, the pupils had been booked and given the notices and added, “No permission was taken from the Mumbai police for the event.”
“The event was apparently organised to observe the death anniversary of GN Saibaba around 9 pm on Sunday (12th October). The administration was not aware of the event as the students had not sought any permission,” a senior TISS official conveyed.
The person expressed, “Additionally, it went unnoticed since it was a Sunday. It was brought to our notice on Monday through social media posts sharing photos and videos of the event, questioning the TISS administration for allowing the event. The social media posts also tagged Mumbai police and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.”
It has been revealed that the students listed in the FIR would also receive show-cause notices from the TISS administration. The official mentioned, “This is a regular process when rules and regulations of the institute are violated.”
Saibaba was apprehended under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) for ties to the Naxals and was acquitted after ten years in prison. Notably, he was acquitted by Justice Rohit B. Deo who left his position in 2023 for personal reasons. Saibaba died on 12th October 2024 in Hyderabad.
