Unexplained aggression at LPU, Chitkara: Political rivalry, faceless agitation and rape allegations, what led to the prolonged mayhem ?
PTC News Desk: The sequence of events unfolded on the Lovely Professional University campus and subsequent show of lawlessness has left many including the authorities, teachers, and students baffled leaving another trail of questions with very few answers to follow.
The inexplicable aggression on campus and question that who actually led the demonstration that led to daylong mayhem has added another layer to intrigue. A question that everyone is asking is whether it was a plain rumour, tasked outsiders or political rivalry of the LPU owners.
A day after an FIR against 'unknown persons' was registered in connection with rape of an 'unknown girl', nothing concrete has come to the fore to substantiate the claims. Even though a Special Investigation Team had been announced to work on the issue, DIG Jalandhar Range Naveen Singla after Sunday's investigation at the campus and checking of girls' hostels had maintained around last midnight that "it was just a rumour and that there seemed to be no basis for it".
Observers say the two incidents at Chitkara University and Lovely Professional University (LPU) show how quickly an unverified report can create tension on a university campus, with both incidents occurring within a day of each other.
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The situation at Chitkara University was brought under control relatively quickly, but the unrest at LPU continued for more than 22 hours. Large numbers of police personnel from four Punjab units—Kapurthala, Hoshiarpur, Jalandhar Rural and Jalandhar Commissionerate—were deployed after students refused to clear the National Highway.
During the unrest, a police vehicle was set on fire, glass bottles were thrown and the entrance to the university's admission block was damaged despite a heavy police presence.
LPU authorities reportedly questioned the police response, asking how the highway, which students had initially blocked around 4 am and were removed from by 6 am, was allowed to become blocked again and remain so until midnight.
Questions have also been raised about why it took more than 22 hours for the police and university authorities to restore normalcy.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has directed the authorities to take strict action against those responsible for the violence. Meanwhile, former SAD minister Bikram Singh Majithia alleged that the unrest was linked to LPU founder and chairman Ashok Mittal's recent decision to leave the Aam Aadmi Party and join the BJP.Despite the return of relative calm, the central allegation that triggered the protests has not yet been established.
The police are continuing to examine CCTV footage, forensic material and phone data as part of the investigation. At the same time, LPU maintains that the alleged assault did not occur on its campus and has appealed to students and parents not to circulate unverified information.
The immediate focus now remains on maintaining order at the university, assessing the damage caused during the violence and determining the facts behind the original allegation.
- PTC NEWS
