Panjab University names 14 students in campus clash FIR
The FIR against the 14 students has been lodged under Sections 223 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) and 132 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita
In the FIR lodged in connection with the Wednesday clash between cops and students protesting delayed senate polls, Panjab University has named 14 students in its complaint, including Students For Society (SFS) president Sandeep, Students’ Organisation of India (SOI) PU president Gursimran Singh and Sath party general secretary Ashmeet Singh.
On Wednesday, students had clashed with police on the campus, resulting in widespread chaos. The incident took place at a time when Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann was on the campus.
PU’s complaint, which resulted in FIR, said, “After the chief minister reached the venue, they started running towards the Law Auditorium to disrupt the programme and to press for their demands. The students and outsiders, who were aggressively running towards the venue of the summit to disrupt the programme, were stopped near parking of Student Centre by Chandigarh Police and university security.”
The FIR against the 14 students has been lodged under Sections 223 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) and 132 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
The complaint was filed by PU chief of university security (CUS) Vikram Singh. In the complaint, he alleged that around 70-80 students and outsiders tried to create nuisance and ruckus during the visit of the Punjab CM to Law Auditorium. Students, led by parties, including SOI, Sath and others, were protesting without permission from PU authority and unlawfully holding protest in front of Vice-Chancellor’s Office for the conduct of senate elections, he said.
He had requested police to take legal action against the students, leaders and outsiders, who caused obstruction in the duty of police personnel and PU security by disobeying orders of the UT deputy commissioner.
CUS Vikram, who was also present at the clash scene, said the police and the security were just doing their duty. “I urge students to maintain peace. Meetings can be held to discuss the problem, but this is not the way to do it,” he added.
A security official present at the spot said some of the protesting senators had a word with the security officials and had said the students would proceed till the Student Centre. From here, the senators were allegedly unable to control the students. A meeting with the V-C reportedly had also been fixed after the event, but it had to be cancelled as well.
Students protest FIR
Meanwhile, students organised a protest against the FIR at the Student Centre on Thursday. Students alleged that they were attacked without any provocation and female students were also hit by cops with no female cops present.
Political leaders like former member of Parliament Prem Singh Chandumajra came to the protest site to show their support for the students and to condemn the FIR. Campus student council vice-president Archit Garg also met with former Punjab chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi regarding the incident.
Senate poll delay reaches high court
A city-based lawyer has moved the Punjab and Haryana high court, seeking senate polls at Panjab University.
The plea from advocate Vaibhav Vats says the elections were due as the existing term of the senate expired on October 31. “..the delay in conducting the senate elections is a violation of the provisions of the Panjab University Act, which mandates periodic elections for the constitution of the senate. Despite representations made by the petitioner to the authorities, no tangible action has been taken to ensure that the elections are held in a timely manner,” the plea says, seeking HC intervention. The plea is likely to be listed for hearing next week.