Chandigarh University 'Video Leak' Row: Three-Member All Women SIT Formed For Probe, Protest Ends. Key Updates

Chandigarh University Row: Three-member SIT formed to probe case, Punjab DGP Gaurav Yadav informed. Students ended their protest amid assurances of transparent probe.

Mohali: Police personnel deployed outside Chandigarh University after objectionable videos of several women students were allegedly posted on social media, in Mohali, Sunday, Sept. 18, 2022. ( Image Source :PTI )

New Delhi: Punjab Director general of police Gaurav Yadav on Monday said that a three-member all-women Special Investigation Team (SIT) will conduct a probe into the allegations of objectionable videos raised by the students of Chandigarh University. The probe will be done under the supervision of senior IPS officer Gurpreet Deo, he informed.

"Three arrests made, including that of a student and two others from Himachal. Electronic devices seized. Following CM's orders, a high-level probe will be done. A three-member all-women SIT will conduct investigation under the supervision of senior IPS officer Gurpreet Deo": the Punjab Police chief said, as quoted by news agency ANI.

The team will thoroughly probe the case and no person involved will be spared, DGP Gaurav Yadav assured, as reported by news agency PTI.

"Investigations are going on at full pace," he added.

The Punjab Police chief appealed to everyone to maintain peace and harmony. "Do not fall for unverified rumours. Let's work together for peace in society," he said.

Chandigarh University Declares 'Non-Teaching Days' Till Sept 24 As Students End Protest

This statement comes after students of the private university in Punjab's Mohali ended their protest in the early hours of Monday amid assurances by the district administration and police for a fair and transparent investigation into allegations.

The university on Monday suspended two wardens for negligence and also declared "non-teaching days" till September 24, PTI reported.

The varsity has also formed a joint committee comprising students and senior functionaries to address certain issues pertaining to hostel timings and other demands of the students, PTI reported citing sources in the university.

"They (students) ended their protest at around 1:30 am," Mohali Senior Superintendent of Police Vivek Sheel Soni said and informed that a special investigation team headed by a senior police officer will be formed to probe the case.

The university in a tweet said, "We are always with our students, be it their academic aspirations or their safety and well-being. We will leave no stone unturned to live it upto this commitment towards our students."

We are always with our students, be it their academic aspirations or their safety and well-being. We will leave no stone unturned to live it upto this commitment towards our students.

— Chandigarh University (@Chandigarh_uni) September 19, 2022

Students Allege Objectionable Videos Of Several Women Students Leaked Online, Police Deny Claim

Protests rocked the campus Saturday night over allegations that objectionable videos of several women students were recorded by a fellow hosteller and sent to a man in Shimla and thereafter leaked online.

As protests continued till late Sunday night, senior officials from the district administration, police, and university tried to pacify the students.

Police, however, had said the woman student appeared to have shared a video of only herself with a 23-year-old man, stated to be her boyfriend, and no objectionable video of any other student was found.

Citing the preliminary investigation, the police said that the accused female student shot her own video and no videos of other girls were found.

However, many students accused the university authorities of  "suppressing facts" related to the alleged videos and "suicide attempt" by a student, a claim denied by the police as well as the university.

The protesters, most of them dressed in black clothes, chanted "we want justice" in the presence of police. They raised slogans against the police as well.

Mohali Police arrested a woman student and a 23-year-old youth, stated to be her boyfriend, was held in Himachal Pradesh and handed over to the Punjab Police. The Himachal Police also detained another 31-year-old man in connection with the case, news agency PTI reported.

An FIR under Section 354-C (voyeurism) of the Indian Penal Code and Information Technology Act has been registered in the matter and further probe is on, police said. 

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said that a high-level inquiry has been ordered and appealed to all to avoid "rumours". " A high-level inquiry has been ordered into the incident. Whoever is guilty will face strict action... I am in constant touch with the administration... I appeal to all of you to avoid rumours...," he wrote in a tweet in Hindi.

Opposition leaders including Punjab Congress president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, former chief minister Amarinder Singh, Shiromani Akali Dal leader and former Union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal and senior Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa demanded a free and fair probe and exemplary punishment for the guilty.

Harsimrat Badal also demanded that authorities make all facts public and not try to suppress anything.

(With Agency Inputs)