In what’s shaping up to be one of the most contentious campus controversies of the year, a university in Tirupati has become the focus of a widening legal and political storm. At the heart of the matter: the alleged abduction of two student leaders — and questions about whether the institution’s top brass had anything to do with it.
The Incident That Sparked a Firestorm
On February 3, 2026, two members of the Students’ Federation of India (SFI), Ali Akbar and Vinod Kumar, reported being abducted and assaulted while en route to the Tirupati Collectorate. Their goal that day was to stage a protest against what they described as “irregular” fee collections by their university. Within an hour, local police had rescued the pair and arrested 13 people, including the university’s public relations officer, Ravuru Satheesh, and several hired bouncers.
While the speed of the operation drew praise, it also raised questions. How did the police move so quickly? And more crucially — were those arrested acting independently, or on someone’s directive from higher up the university hierarchy?
The Accusations Reach Higher
Multiple student organizations — including SFI, AISF, and NSUI — now allege that Chancellor M. Mohan Babu and his son, Pro-Chancellor Vishnu Manchu, were directly involved in planning the intimidation of protesters. That claim, however, remains unproven, and neither the Chancellor nor Pro-Chancellor has issued a substantive public response beyond brief denials.
Behind the scenes, investigators are reportedly examining communications between the arrested suspects and university officials. As of this week, police have not confirmed any direct evidence linking the senior management to the incident — but the pressure from student groups continues to mount.
Following the Money Trail
Fueling the agitation is a 2024 report by the Andhra Pradesh State Council of Higher Education (APSCHE). The report recommended that the university refund ₹26.17 crore to students after identifying “irregular” fee collections between 2022 and 2024. According to student representatives, these included charges for placements and hostel services that reportedly lacked official sanction.
University administrators have so far maintained that all collections were in line with policy and that the institution has fully cooperated with authorities. Yet, protesters argue that the APSCHE recommendation remains unaddressed, turning financial grievances into a broader debate about accountability and transparency.
Unanswered Questions
As the legal process unfolds, several critical issues remain unresolved:
What evidence exists linking the abduction suspects to university officials?
Has the APSCHE recovery order been formally challenged by the university?
And, perhaps most significantly, why did a disagreement over student fees escalate to physical violence?
For now, the case continues to unfold — a convergence of campus politics, administrative power, and questions about how far institutions will go to silence dissent.