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Kharar college sword attack: Punjab CMO intervenes, orders swift action against accused
The directions came after the national convener of the Jammu and Kashmir Students’ Association, Nasir Khuehami, took up the matter with Baltej Pannu, the media adviser to the Punjab chief minister
Two days after some Kashmiri students were injured after a group of outsiders attacked students in the hostel mess with swords at Doaba College, Kharar, on Friday, the Punjab chief minister’s office (CMO) on Sunday directed the police to nab the culprits swiftly.
The directions came after the national convener of the Jammu and Kashmir Students’ Association (JKSA), Nasir Khuehami, took up the matter with Baltej Pannu, the media adviser to the Punjab chief minister.
“I requested the CM’s office to take cognizance of such a gory incident and get the culprits arrested at the earliest. Senior officials, including the IGP and SSP, have been directed to take strict action against the accused. We are grateful for their immediate intervention,” said Nasir.
A senior police official said, “We have expedited investigation. Senior police officials visited the college campus on Saturday evening and investigated the incident till the wee hours of Sunday. We also questioned the security personnel on the campus. But before fixing responsibility of the college authorities, our prime objective is to nab the absconding accused.”
Mohali SSP Sandeep Garg, along with other Punjab Police officials, also visited the college and met the hospitalised victims.
North India President of Jammu and Kashmir Students Association Aadil Bhat said Kashmiri students had also been urged to refrain from getting into brawls, and focus solely on their studies and career goals.
In the Friday night attack, a student had suffered stab and head injuries and another had broken his leg by jumping off the first floor to save himself, while several others had sustained minor wounds.
The injured students are pursuing BBA, B Pharma and Medical Science Liaison degrees at the college.
The entry of at least 26 armed outsiders into the college had laid bare the poor security arrangements on the campus.
Meanwhile, two days after the attack, which was captured in CCTV cameras, police have managed to arrest only one accused, identified as Harmanjot Singh Billa.
Some students were having dinner in the hostel mess on Friday night, when the group of 26 masked outsiders attacked them with swords, rods and other sharp-edged weapons. While Irshad Ahmad Khan had suffered stab injuries, including on the head, Faidar Rasool had fractured his leg by jumping off the first floor of the canteen to save himself.
Bhagatveer, station house officer (SHO), Sadar Kharar police station, said, “We have arrested one accused and are rigorously raiding the possible hideouts of the other accused.”
A case for attempt to murder, criminal intimidation and rioting has been registered against the 26 accused at the Sadar Kharar police station.
Among those nominated in the FIR by name are Harmanjot Singh of Prempur, Khamano, Fatehgarh Sahib; Jasvir Singh of Chairrian, Rupnagar; Amrinder Singh of Bagowal, Nawanshahr; Likhnesh Gautam of Kharar; Suda Ram of Kharar and Jashan of Nangal, Nawanshahr.
