Protests at Mohan Babu University After Abduction of Its Student Leaders
They said repeated representations have been submitted to the state government seeking an inquiry
TIRUPATI: Two student leaders of the Mohan Babu University (MBU) have allegedly been abducted and assaulted in Tirupati on Tuesday. The leaders had been heading to the Collectorate to stage a protest and submit a memorandum alleging irregularities in the university. Student organisations and Left parties have protested against the abduction and assault as an attempt to intimidate students raising concerns against the institution. According to a complaint lodged by the Students’ Federation of India (SFI) district secretary Akbar and S.V. University unit leader Vinod, the students had been intercepted by a group of men near the Collectorate. The men had allegedly arrived in multiple vehicles, assaulted the two leaders, and forcibly took them away. SFI leaders claim the assailants are supporters of actor Manchu Mohan Babu and his son Manchu Vishnu. CITU state vice-president Kandarapu Murali contacted district SP L. Subba Rayudu and additional SP Ravi Manoharachari. Following the complaints, police launched a search operation and traced the two SFI leaders within an hour of the incident. Their abductors have been taken into custody and their vehicles seized. SP Subba Rayudu said criminal cases have been registered against the kidnappers and those who allegedly planned the abduction. He assured that the investigation would be impartial and said no one would be spared for taking the law into their own hands. Tiruchanoor police registered the case as Crime No. 23 of 2026, naming university PRO Satheesh as A1, Mohan Babu as A2, and Manchu Vishnu Babu as A3, in addition to booking 20 others. SFI members said they have been flagging the irregularities at the university for several months, particularly relating to fee collections. They said repeated representations have been submitted to the state government seeking an inquiry. But no action has followed, they charge. AP Parents Association state president S. Narahari condemned the incident. He urged Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu to intervene and take action against illegal fee collections. Further, Narahari sought withdrawal of cases registered against students of MBU and their parents.