Mumbai University protest ends as monk vacates Kalina campus

Bhadant Vimamsa vacated Mumbai University's Kalina campus on May 3, 2026 , bringing an end to an occupation that lasted about eight months . The move followed an undertaking he submitted before a division bench of the Bombay High Court.

The court hearing, before Justices Ravindra V. Ghuge and Hiten S. Venegavkar, recorded Vimamsa’s statement and disposed of the matter after he agreed to leave the premises. Mumbai University had approached the court seeking directions for police assistance to remove the protester.

Vimamsa, formerly known as Rajesh Balkhande, is a 52-year-old Buddhist monk and a former PhD scholar at the university. The university told the court his PhD enrolment was cancelled in November 2025 for failing to complete the programme within the stipulated timeframe. His academic term had ended in December 2024 without submission of a thesis.

The protest centred on demands for funding and aided status for the Pali department. University officials told the court they had provided accommodation and held multiple discussions, but the occupation continued and attracted frequent visits by outsiders, creating security concerns and disrupting academic functioning.

His hostel room was sealed during the proceedings. Records show he had travelled to Myanmar and returned in 2023 as a monk before staging the prolonged demonstration on campus.

Mumbai University protest: court comments and venue guidance

During hearings the Bombay High Court criticised the long occupation, observing that universities cannot be turned into an "akhada." The bench suggested protests should be held at designated public venues, such as Azad Maidan, with appropriate permissions.

The court warned that continued unauthorised occupation could attract an "unpleasant order" if the premises were not vacated. After Vimamsa’s undertaking, the court recorded the statement and closed the case.

Mumbai University protest: immediate impact for students and campus

Mumbai University cited disruption to classes and security challenges as reasons for seeking court intervention. Students and staff had reported interruptions near the main gate where the protester had been stationed under a tree.

With the Kalina campus cleared on May 3, 2026 , university officials say normal academic activity can resume. The petition and court filing underline that universities may seek police assistance to handle unauthorised occupations that affect campus safety.

No further legal or administrative details of the undertaking were disclosed in court records presented at the hearing.