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Panjab University polls: Police keeping eye on 92 probable troublemakers
70 of these students are from Panjab University campus, 22 from DAV College; list forwarded to sub-divisional magistrate as a preventive measure to maintain peace on the campus
With the Panjab University (PU) student elections eight days away, Chandigarh Police have identified 92 students who can be potential troublemakers.
Among them, 70 are studying on the PU campus, besides 22 are students of DAV College, Sector 10.
The list, according to the police, has been submitted to the sub-divisional magistrate (SDM, Central) as a preventive measure to maintain peace on the campus.
Notably, police prepare the list of potential troublemakers before every student election. Each person named in the list is summoned and asked to fill a bond of ₹10,000 with the SDM, with the surety of keeping peace for one year. Any of them found indulging in violent activities can be arrested.
Summoned by SDM
The SDM has already summoned these 92 students on Wednesday as preventive action under Section 107/150 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CRPC).
According to police officials, these students will be asked to refrain from actions leading to clash or violence on the PU campus or its affiliated colleges to avoid legal action.
“We are not going to allow anyone to create nuisance during PU elections and to ensure its peaceful and smooth conduct, we have identified leaders or members from all student parties who have aggressive conduct. These students will appear before the SDM on Wednesday,” said Gurmukh Singh, deputy superintendent of police (DSP).
Meanwhile, Chandigarh police have also deployed 100 cops at the campus’ entry gates to monitor law and order. Cops have also been stationed at key areas of the campus, including canteens, law department and UIET, where students are expected to gather in large numbers.
DSP chairs meeting over security
DSP Gurmukh Singh on Monday chaired a 90-minute meeting with PU officials, campus security officials and two leaders from every student party.
Police directed the PU authorities to ensure functioning of all CCTV cameras, besides not allowing any outsider during elections.
Police further requested PU officials to only allow a panel of four to five students of all parties to canvass in women hostels and to allot separate time to all parties for addressing students in hostels to avoid clashes.
Senior superintendent of police (SSP) Kanwardeep Kaur will also hold a PU security review meeting on Wednesday.
ABVP announces president, general secretary candidates
Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), meanwhile, announced that they will be contesting for the posts of president and general secretary.
The party announced both their candidates, Rakesh Deswal for the post of president and Avinash Yadav for general secretary.
Deswal hails from Uttar Pradesh and is currently pursuing MTech from University Institute of Engineering and Technology (UIET). He is the south campus incharge of ABVP for PU. Yadav has done LLB from Panjab University and is currently pursuing LLM for University Institute of Legal Studies (UILS). He is the hostel convener in the party’s executive committee.
SOPU fields research scholar for general secretary’s post
Students Organisation of Panjab University (SOPU), meanwhile, announced Megha Nayyar as their candidate, for the post of general secretary.
Nayyar, a research scholar at the varsity’s department of women’s studies, said she hopes to bring the power back to students from the political parties that are running the campus through their student wings. One of PU’s home-grown parties, SOPU will be not be contesting for any other posts. The party is looking to revive its waning influence on campus, having suffering a setback from being associated with gangsters like Lawrence Bishnoi.
Former Students Organisation of India (SOI) in-charge Shekhar Kamboj also joined CYSS on Monday in the presence of Punjab cabinet minister Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer and Dharamkot legislator Davinderjeet Singh Laddi Dhose.
