Allegations about a girl student clicking objectionable videos and sharing it with her boyfriend has created unrest at the Mohali-based Chandigarh University leading to protests on campus on Sunday.
The chaos also prompted the management to declare ‘non-teaching days’ for students till Saturday while staff continue to report to work. Scores of students gathered in protest on premises, blocked the highway and tried to barge into the office of the vice chancellor.
The unrest began over claims that objectionable videos of several girls in the hostel were recorded and shared by a fellow hosteller. The girl in question, a postgraduate student, who has now been arrested. Two hostel wardens have been suspended over failing to discharge their duties.
“This is a matter of a video being shot by a girl student and circulating it. FIR has been registered in the matter & accused is arrested. No death related to this incident has been reported. As per medical records, no attempt to suicide is reported either, said SSP Mohali Vivek Soni.
Mohali SP, late on Sunday clarified that an FIR had been filed. He said that the accused has only shared one video of herself with her boyfriend based out of Shimla. Her mobile phones and electronic devices have been confiscated and submitted for forensic examination.
Numerous rumors over girls attempting suicide also surfaced, forcing the university to react. University’s vice chancellor said that the allegations were baseless and that no such incidents were reported.
Mohali Police registered an FIR at Gharuan police station has registered a case under the section 354C of the IPC, under which Viewing or capturing a girl or woman’s picture going about her private acts, where she thinks that no one is watching her is a crime.
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, however, unconvinced by the police’s explanation, sought to know if the girl had only shared a video of herself to her boyfriend, which is not a crime under law, why the arrest was made.
“If the police are sure that she shared videos of herself alone, why is she arrested? That is not a crime. This is more of a cover up to calm students down and save the university’s reputation,” said one of the students on social media.
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