Clash at DAV College: hostile witnesses facilitate acquittal of 4 student leaders

Additional district and sessions judge Preeti Sahni on Tuesday acquitted four student leaders booked on charges of attempt to murder after the complainant as well as the witnesses turned hostile.

Those acquitted are Lawrence Bishnoi, Amandeep Singh Multani, Vikramjit Singh Vicky and Ranjot Singh. They were booked on the charges during a clash at DAV College in Sector 10 in March 2012.

The court acquitted them after the complainant, Ankit Grover, who had sustained injuries during the clash along with five other witnesses, Satpal Singh, Ankit Grover, Paramdeep Singh, Arshdeep Singh and Navneet, failed to identify the accused.

During the clash, newly-elected chairman of Panjab University Student Union (PUSU) Jeewanjot Singh Chahal alias Jugnu and party member Charndev Singh were shot at while five other members of the party suffered injuries after they were allegedly attacked by a group of Student Organisation of Panjab University (SOPU) supporters on the college premises.

As per the complaint, a group of around 25 assailants, led by Lawrence Bishnoi and Amandeep Singh Multani, had entered from the back gate of the college after breaking the lock and launched an assault on PUSU supporters who were making arrangements for a star night scheduled to be held in college.

It was alleged that the SOPU members had fired five gunshots and attacked them with sharp edged weapons. But the allegations fell flat in court after the witnesses failed to identify the accused.