NEW DELHI: AAP Punjab media in-charge Baltej Singh Pannu on Monday said the Punjab Police handled the situation at Lovely Professional University (LPU) with restraint and professionalism, stressing that the safety of students remained the government’s priority.Addressing a press conference, Pannu said the situation was sensitive as LPU has students from Punjab, other parts of India and several countries. He said students from Jammu and Kashmir, including women pursuing nursing and other courses, also study at educational institutions in the state.“When the situation escalated and the highway was blocked, the Punjab Police did not use excessive force against the students. No force like batons or pellet guns was used against them. Instead, they were treated like our own sons and daughters. It took some time, but the situation was handled professionally,” Pannu said.He said chief minister Bhagwant Singh Mann had directed DGP Gaurav Yadav to visit LPU and assess the situation. The DGP visited the university, while senior police officers engaged with students and their leaders to defuse the situation.Pannu said the state government had constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to examine the incidents at LPU and establish the facts.“We should allow the SIT to complete its investigation. Whatever information emerges will be shared with the people through senior Punjab Police officers and the government. The SIT is examining the allegations as well as the circumstances surrounding the unrest. It is important that the investigation is allowed to take its course so that the complete truth comes before the people,” he said.On videos circulating on social media purportedly showing outsiders carrying weapons inside the university, Pannu said police had identified the individuals and taken appropriate action.“Senior police officers have clarified that the individuals shown in the videos were not unidentified attackers. The police took the appropriate step of removing them from the situation until their presence could be verified,” he said.Pannu also criticised opposition leaders for their response to the unrest, accusing them of politicising the issue.“At a time when the situation involved students and required sensitivity, some opposition leaders appeared more interested in creating controversy than in allowing the situation to be resolved. They seem to be behaving like vultures, waiting for dead bodies, rather than helping to ensure that the situation remains peaceful,” he said.He added, “They seem upset that the situation came under control and that the Punjab Government did not deal with the students the way protesters were dealt with at Jantar Mantar.”Pannu said those found responsible for vandalism or damage to property would face action according to law, while the SIT would determine responsibility based on evidence.“Our priority is the safety of every student studying in Punjab. Whether they belong to Punjab, another state or another country, for us they are our children. CM Bhagwant Singh Mann has made it clear that no miscreant will be allowed to disturb the environment of educational institutions in Punjab,” he said.
