CHANDIGARH: Punjab Police have found walkie-talkies and are probing the alleged presence of outsiders at Lovely Professional University (LPU) after violence broke out on the campus following late-night rumours about incidents involving students, Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav said on Monday.Yadav said police had also examined viral CCTV footage that purportedly showed men near the women’s hostel. The footage and the presence of outsiders are being investigated as part of a probe into the violence.“Walkie-talkies have been found here. We have also found the role of outsiders because walkie-talkies have been found. Secondly, there is viral CCTV footage of the inside premises which shows that there were men who came close to the women’s hostel, which is being questioned, because of which the violence probably occurred,” Yadav said.The DGP said the trouble began on the intervening night of September 26 and 27, when rumours about “certain incidents” spread on the campus and a large number of students gathered.“There was some vandalism, and a part of the gate was set on fire,” he said.Senior police officers, including DIG Jalandhar Range Navin Singla and SSP Kapurthala, reached the university after receiving information about the situation, Yadav said.Police subsequently opened dialogue with students who had grievances against the university administration.The DGP said police deliberately avoided using force against the students and instead acted as a bridge between them and the university administration.“Our officers took the view that since there was some provocation, action was taken, and we would use minimum force. A very conscious decision was made not to use force on the students,” Yadav said.Among the grievances raised by students was a demand that only female staff be deployed in the girls’ hostel, along with other issues, he said.Yadav said meetings had been held with the students and the university administration on Sunday, with another meeting scheduled for Monday.
SIT to probe LPU violence
The DGP said an FIR had been registered and a high-level Special Investigation Team had been formed to investigate the incident.“Whoever is involved in the incident related to the students, strict legal action will be taken against them. No matter how big a person they are, whether it’s from the university administration or anyone else, the law will take its course,” he said.Yadav said police would use CCTV footage to identify those involved in vandalism and other offences.“We will take strict action against anyone who takes the law into their own hands, based on the CCTV footage,” he said.He also said some elements later attempted to disturb the situation, resulting in stones being thrown at police vehicles.“The police used a lot of restraint. They’ve always tried to resolve the grievances of the students, who are basically just kids,” Yadav said.The DGP appealed to the public not to believe unverified rumours and urged the media to rely on authentic sources while reporting about the incident.When asked whether the alleged presence of outsiders indicated a failure by police, Yadav said the police had chosen dialogue over force because the grievances were primarily between students and the university administration.“The grievances were internal, with their university administration. Using force is very easy. We have opted to use restraint and self-control and get the grievances solved,” he said.The developments came after Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann ordered strict action against those responsible in connection with an alleged rape incident and directed the DGP to personally assess the situation at the university.
