Highlights
- Punjab DIG GS Bhullar spoke to angry protesting students of Chandigarh University.
- They were convinced by the Police to temporarily call off the protests last night.
- Also, holiday has been declared in Mohali's Chandigarh University till September 24.
Chandigarh University video row: After chaos ensued over the alleged objectionable videos shot and circulated by a Chandigarh University student, the institute suspended two hostel wardens for not performing their duty properly. The alleged videos were shot in the hostel bathroom by one of the girl students. Also, a holiday has been declared in the Mohali-based institute till September 24. Earlier, September 19 and 20 were declared as "non-teaching days" or holidays for students.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has constituted a 3-member all-women Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the matter. Three accused including a girl student from the college have been arrested in connection with the case. The SIT team will be under the supervision of senior IPS officer Gurpreet Kaur Deo.
Meanwhile, BJP MP from Chandigarh Kirron Kher took to Twitter and condemned the incident. She clarified that the university doesn't fall under her constituency, instead, it is in Punjab. Thus implying that the Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab government should act swiftly in this regard.
Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) GS Bhullar spoke to angry protesting students of Punjab's Chandigarh University late last night, after which he claimed protests were called off.
However, some students said the protests were only "temporarily" halted, and that they will stay in touch with University management, to take an update on the issue of alleged videos of girls in the hostel bathroom, being shot and circulated.
Bhullar spoke to the protesting students late on Sunday night and tried to pacify them saying "implicit faith is necessary" and "law is being followed". "We will keep coming to you, implicit faith is necessary," said DIG GS Bhullar.
Meanwhile, Chandigarh University Director Student Welfare Arvinder Kang said, "Police had a chat today with students. They are satisfied now... First-year students have taken their own stand to not come in front of media as they are freshers, just completed 12th."
Why are students protesting?
Massive protests broke out on Saturday evening, which continued on Sunday as well, because a girl student from the university was caught red-handed making videos of 60 other girls, who were bathing. Another student from the university allegedly posted the videos on YouTube. As per reports, the girl student who shot the videos is from Mohali, and she sent the video to a friend living in Shimla. The videos soon went viral, and one of the girl students who were in the video also tried to commit suicide.
Tension prevailed on the campus as protesting students confronted university and police authorities, questioning why the university had on Sunday evening declared September 19 and 20 as "non-teaching days" thus declaring a holiday for students "if nothing had happened on the campus".
Punjab Police, Chandigarh University deny suicide attempt reports
Punjab Police and Chandigarh University management officials denied reports of any suicide attempt and stood on the stance till late Sunday night. Mohali Deputy Commissioner (DC) Amit Talwar said there had been no information about suicide so far. "No information about suicide has come out. It is a rumour that has been spread. We have not been brought forward any information that a suicide has taken place," DC Talwar said.
The arrested accused has been identified as Sunny Mehta. The youth belongs to a local village under the Rohru Sub division of Shimla district, nearly 130 km away from the northern town. The detained person has been identified as 31-year-old Rankaj Verma.
