Meanwhile, Pondicherry University has refuted claims of a cyberattack and instead attributed the website outage to a "plugin issue" on their end. The central government-run university found itself embroiled in controversy after allegedly being targeted by a group of Indian hackers who accused the institution of disrespecting the Ramayana and ridiculing Lord Ram during a recent campus play.
Identifying themselves as 'Team LAPSUS India', the hackers claimed responsibility for disrupting the official website through a suspected distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack. They also threatened to remove the university's page from Wikipedia in retaliation.
Expressing their discontent on their Telegram channel, the hackers emphasized their allegiance to Indian heritage while condemning any perceived affront to Lord Ram. They vowed to continue their actions as a form of retribution.
The website outage, lasting for about 12 hours, was reported late Wednesday night until Thursday morning. Despite efforts to restore functionality, users encountered error messages indicating maintenance or connectivity issues.
Checks conducted by cybersecurity professionals corroborated the website's inaccessibility, reflecting a concerted effort to disrupt its operations.
In response to the incident, the hackers declared their intention to prolong the disruption throughout April 4, urging fellow cyber activists to join their cause.
Although attempts were made to vandalize the university's Wikipedia page during the attack, the alterations were swiftly rectified. The university's Public Relations Officer, Dr. Nanda Kishor, dismissed claims of a cyberattack, attributing the disruption to an internal plugin issue that has since been resolved.
The controversy stemmed from a play titled 'Somayanam' staged during the university's annual cultural festival, 'Ezhini 2k24', which purportedly contained objectionable references to characters from the Ramayana. The portrayal of Goddess Sita and Lord Hanuman sparked outrage among certain groups, leading to formal complaints and investigations.
While the ABVP condemned the cyberattack, they reiterated the public's sentiments of indignation. The Puducherry Police has initiated a case following complaints, and the university has initiated internal inquiries into the matter.
The incident has drawn widespread attention, underscoring the intersection of cultural sensitivities, freedom of expression, and cybersecurity concerns within academic institutions like Pondicherry University.
