CHANDIGARH: As Panjab University grapples with the fallout from the death of a research scholar due to alleged electrocution, students have raised fresh concerns over exposed electrical infrastructure in waterlogged areas of the campus. Several videos circulating on social media show electrical wires and junction boxes surrounded by stagnant rainwater.One such location is opposite Boys’ Hostel No. 2, where students regularly use a kutcha pathway connecting the hostel area to the A.C. Joshi Library. The route, used daily by hundreds of students as a shortcut, passes through a stretch where electrical boxes are installed and cables emerge from them before running underground through pits. Following the rainfall, students feared for the safety of pedestrians. Videos shared by students on Wednesday showed water accumulated around the electrical installations, with some expressing concern over the possibility of accidental electrocution. Students said the pathway remains one of the most frequently used routes to the library despite the lack of proper paving and drainage. The Ambedkar Students’ Association (ASA) had also highlighted the issue. Members of the association said they had repeatedly raised concerns about exposed wiring, poor maintenance and the potential danger during the monsoon. They urged the university to secure the electrical infrastructure and improve drainage in the area. The fresh concerns surfaced a day after the death of 28-year-old research scholar Jyoti near the Girls’ Hostel 8–10 complex, where she allegedly suffered an electric shock while walking through a waterlogged stretch. The incident triggered widespread protests on the campus, with students demanding accountability and a comprehensive safety audit of the university. Several students said the latest videos suggest that potentially hazardous spots are not confined to a single location. They called for an immediate inspection of electrical installations across the campus, particularly in areas prone to waterlogging.
