Chandigarh: Week after suspension over research scholar’s electrocution, PU reinstates XEN, SDE

The victim, a senior research scholar of microbiology, was walking to her department from Girls Hostel 8 – both located on South campus – when she is suspected to have been electrocuted

A week after Panjab University (PU) suspended an executive engineer (XEN) and a sub-divisional engineer (electrical) following the death of a 28-year-old research scholar due to suspected electrocution on South campus, the two have been reinstated even as a probe into the matter is still pending.

According to Gaurav Veer Singh Sohal, president of the Panjab University Campus Students Council (PUCSC), the students will deliberate on resuming the protests if any sort of cover-up is suspected. (HT File)

PU registrar YP Verma said that the step has been taken as the “post-mortem report had ruled out the role of the two officials in the student’s death”.

To be sure, the post-mortem report is not out in public domain yet.

The orders, issued on Tuesday, read that executive engineer 2 Anil Kumar and sub divisional engineer (electrical) Lakhwinder Singh Dhanoa have been reinstated with immediate effect.

Responding to the development, Gaurav Veer Singh Sohal, the president of the Panjab University Campus Students Council (PUCSC) president for the 2025-26 session, said, “It is unfortunate that this is being done while the inquiry is still going on.”

Pertinent to mention that while a magisterial probe is being conducted by the sub-divisional magistrate (SDM, central), PU has also formed its own committee to look into the matter. Both committees are yet to submit their report.

Earlier on July 28, the day of the incident, students had staged a protest and locked the vice-chancellor’s office. Sohal said that students will deliberate on resuming the protests if any sort of cover-up is suspected.

The victim, a senior research scholar of microbiology, was walking to her department from Girls Hostel 8 – both located on South campus – when she is suspected to have been electrocuted. A worker crossing the area on the cycle had found her lying unconscious on a waterlogged stretch, close to an electrical pole and three junction boxes. As there were no closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras or eyewitnesses, the exact sequence of events is not yet clear. The worker had pulled her to safety using a wooden stick following which she was rushed to Government Multi-Specialty Hospital (GMSH), Sector 16, where doctors declared her brought dead.

The incident had prompted Vice President of India and PU chancellor CP Radhakrishnan to order a safety audit of the campus.