Protests rock Chandigarh University over alleged objectionable videos of hostel students; 2 arrested, 1 detained

Protests rocked the campus of Chandigarh University in Punjab's Mohali Saturday night over allegations that objectionable videos of several women students were recorded by a hosteller, following which Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann ordered a probe.

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.

After a preliminary investigation, police arrested a woman student, while a 23-year-old youth, stated to be her boyfriend, was held in Himachal Pradesh and handed over to the Punjab Police.

The Himachal Police also detained another 31-year-old man in connection with the case.

Also Read — 'Those involved will get punishment,' says Arvind Kejriwal in connection with Mohali video leak

Punjab's Additional Director General of Police, Gurpreet Deo, who reached the Chandigarh University campus to take stock of the situation after the Saturday night protests, told reporters that the woman student appeared to have shared a video of herself with the youth and no objectionable video of any other student was found.

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 distraught students had attempted suicide after the episode.

However, a fresh protest was held on the university campus on Sunday evening by a large number of students, including males, with many accusing the university authorities of “suppressing facts'' related to the alleged videos and ''suicide attempt'' by a student.

Most of the protesters were dressed in black clothes and chanted "we want justice" in the presence of police.

Tension prevailed on the campus as protesting students confronted university and police officials, 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".

Deputy Inspector General of Police G PS Bhullar told the protesters that a Special Investigation Team headed by a senior woman IPS officer will be formed for an in-depth investigation.

"It is our duty to clear every apprehension of the children," said Bhullar.

Dr Arvinder Singh Kang, Director, Students Welfare of the University, tried to pacify the protesters. A student was also brought before them and she claimed that she was fine and no one had attempted suicide.

Mohali's SSP Vivek Sheel Soni faced the ire of agitated students after he told reporters that the protests occurred after "rumours" that videos of several women students had been made and leaked.

Soni said the arrested student's mobile phone has been seized for forensic analysis and added that no suicide attempt by any student or death has occurred.

An FIR under IPC section 354-C (voyeurism) and the IT Act has been registered in the matter and further probe is on, officials said.

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... severe action will be taken against whoever is found guilty,” said Mann in a tweet in Punjabi.

“I am in touch with the administration,” said Mann, who is in Germany, while appealing to people not to believe rumours.

The incident sparked a flurry of reactions from political parties and the central and state women's rights bodies too stepped in.

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.

The women's rights body has also written to Vice Chancellor, Chandigarh University to take stringent action against the culprits in accordance with the law and investigate the matter extensively.

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.

Following accusations of students that they were lathi-charged on Saturday during their protest, Mohali Deputy Commissioner Amit Talwar told them a magisterial inquiry will be conducted into it.

University authorities said that the demand of protesting students regarding relaxing hostel timings and a copy of the FIR have been agreed to.

The university management and the police suggested that a students' committee be formed to hold further talks with the university administration regarding their various other issues.

Some students also alleged that the university was trying to enforce a dress code for girl students.

"We want that all investigation should be held with transparency," said a protesting woman student while also demanding that "hostels should not be made jails".

Himachal Pradesh Police DGP Sanjay Kundu said the sate police reacted to request of Punjab Police with sensitivity and professionalism and nabbed the other accused in the case.

Briefing reporters at the university campus, ADGP Deo, who is also holding the charge of women and child affairs, said many rumours about the case were circulating on various social media platforms.

"There are 4,000 girl students who live in the hostel. One has been arrested by police. Her phone has been taken into police possession and state cyber crime is conducting its analysis".

Deo said that three to four girl students spotted the accused student in the common washroom where she was taking some pictures with her phone "which they thought she was taking from underneath the bathroom door... They then reported the matter to the warden and subsequently the police were informed".

"I want to clarify after interaction with the group of girls they are happy that their concerns have been addressed. Their concern was if there is any video of other girls on her phone. Prima facie we did not come across any video of other girls," ADG DEO said.

In a statement here, Chandigarh University Pro-Chancellor R S Bawa said, “There are rumours that girls have committed suicide whereas the fact is that no girl has attempted any such step. No girl has been admitted to hospital in the incident.”

Bawa said, “There is another rumour which is circulating through media that an objectionable MMS has been found of different students. This is totally false and baseless."

In a video that surfaced on social media, a few students were purportedly seen confronting the student who is accused of making the videos.

Referring to a video of a student being taken in an ambulance, the SSP Soni said she had some anxiety problems and was fine.

Replying to a question on the hostel warden, the SSP said she questioned the woman student, who was later arrested, to find information on whether she had made a video of any other student.

Notably, in a video, the warden is purportedly seen asking the woman student, “Who told you to record the video?..You will be suspended".