Chandigarh University Row: Students Call off Stir, Varsity Closed till Sept 24; Kirron Kher Says ‘Morally Shaken’
The arrested youth, whose role in the matter was already under the scanner, was first detained in Shimla and later handed over to Punjab Police
A female student and her boyfriend from Himachal Pradesh were arrested on Sunday after students at the Chandigarh University hostel alleged that the duo leaked objectionable videos of women hostellers of the varsity. The Himachal Police also detained another 31-year-old man in connection with the case.
The students ended the protest on Sunday night after getting assurances from the senior officials from the district administration and police. The university was closed till September 24 as the protest ended. Visuals from the campus showed students leaving for their homes.
Punjab’s Additional Director General of Police Gurpreet Deo said that no such objectionable videos were leaked except one which the student sent to her boyfriend of herself. Deo reached the Chandigarh University campus to take stock of the situation after the Saturday night protests and said that no objectionable video of any other student was found.
Here are the Latest Updates in the Story
– Chandigarh MP Kirron Kher condemned the Chandigarh University incident and clarified that the university doesn’t fall under her constituency. “I am morally shaken by the ghastly incident at #ChandigarhUniversity. The name of my city is being tarnished due to this institute. I want to clarify that it is based in Kharar, Punjab. My heartfelt concern goes out to the girls & their parents who are a victim of this incident,” she said in a tweet.
– Responding to the reports of attempted suicide in Chandigarh University, Mohali DC Amit Talwar said that no information about the incident has come out and added that rumours are being spread. “We have not been brought forward any information that a suicide has taken place,” he said.
– Punjab DGP Gaurav Yadav on Monday said that a three-member all-women SIT was formed under the supervision of senior IPS officer Gurpreet Deo to investigate the case.
– The arrested youth, whose role in the matter was already under the scanner, was first detained in Shimla and later handed over to Punjab Police. The accused belongs to Shimla district’s Rohru town. But there is no information on the other person detained from Dhalli police station.
– University authorities also rejected as “false and baseless” reports that claimed videos of several women students in the varsity hostel were made and leaked on social media and that distraught students had attempted suicide.
– Senior police official on Sunday night held discussions with students amid attempts to give reassurance. “The 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, they just completed Class 12th,” Arvinder Kang, director, student welfare of the Chandigarh University told ANI.
– The protests continued on the campus till late Sunday night with senior officials from the district administration, police and university trying to pacify the students.
– The protesting students demanded an apology from the police and district administration for calling the objectionable videos of some students as rumours. They claimed the accused woman had admitted she had made the videos.
– Deputy Inspector General of Police G PS Bhullar and Deputy Commissioner Amit Talwar told the protesters that a Special Investigation Team headed by a senior woman IPS officer will be formed for an in-depth investigation.
– Chief Minister Mann ordered the probe into the incident, saying strict action will be taken against those found guilty. “Our daughters are our honour… a high-level inquiry has been ordered into the incident.” “I am in touch with the administration, said Mann, who is in Germany, appealing to people not to believe rumours.
– Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party national convener Arvind Kejriwal said those involved in the incident will get the “harshest punishment”.
– Punjab State Women Commission Chairperson Manisha Gulati visited the university campus. In a statement, the National Commission for Women (NCW) said its chairperson Rekha Sharma has written to the Director General of Police of Punjab to deal with the matter strictly and without any laxity. The victims must be given proper counselling and their safety and security must be ensured, the NCW said.
– Opposition leaders including Punjab Congress president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, former chief minister Amarinder Singh, Shiromani Akali Dal leader and former Union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal and senior Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa demanded a free and fair probe and exemplary punishment for the guilty. Badal said authorities should make all facts public and not try to suppress anything.
