Chandigarh University 'objectionable video' row: Police says accused leaked her own video
Chandigarh, Sep 18: Protests erupted on the campus of a private university in Punjab's Mohali over "rumours" that some objectionable videos of several women students were recorded.
Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Sunday ordered a probe into the matter following the protests that took place past midnight in the Chandigarh University campus located on the Ludhiana-Chandigarh road.
Police said a woman student accused in the matter had shared her own video.
Sad to hear about the unfortunate incident at Chandigarh University...our daughters are our honour...a high-level inquiry has been ordered into the incident...severe action will be taken against whoever is found guilty, said Mann in a tweet in Punjabi.
I am in touch with the administration, he said while appealing to people not to believe rumours.
Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party national convener Arvind Kejriwal said those involved in the incident will get strict punishment.
"In Chandigarh University, a girl recorded objectionable videos of several girl students and made them viral. This is very serious and shameful. All the culprits involved in this will get the harshest punishment. Victim girls should keep courage. We are all with you. All should act with patience," he said in a tweet in Hindi.
Mohali Senior Superintendent of Police Vivek Sheel Soni told reporters that it has been found during preliminary investigation that a woman student, who had been apprehended, had shared her own video with someone stated to be from Himachal Pradesh whose role is also under the scanner,
He said an FIR under IPC section 354-C (voyeurism) and the IT Act has been registered and the woman student has been apprehended.
The university authorities have rejected reports that videos of several women students were made and shared on social media.
Dr Arvinder Singh Kang, Director, Students Welfare of Chandigarh University said, "At the preliminary level, we investigated and did not find that videos of other students were made."
"For fair investigation, university authorities got the FIR registered into the incident for a thorough and fair probe. Rumours regarding attempted suicide (by some students) and MMS of 60 students are not correct," he said.
Punjab Minister for School Education Harjot Singh Bains asked the students of the university to stay calm and assured them that the guilty will not be spared.
"It is a sensitive matter and concerns the dignity of our sisters and daughters. We all, including the media, should be very cautious. It is also a test of ours as a society," Bains said in a tweet.
Urging people not to pay any attention to any rumour, SSP Soni said no case of attempted suicide by any woman student came to notice. He also said no death took place in connection with the incident.
To another question, Soni said forensic evidence was being collected in the matter.
Punjab State Women Commission Chairperson Manisha Gulati also reached the university campus to take stock of the situation.
"I understand parents' concern and I want to assure them that the incident is being investigated by the police," she said.
"It is a matter of deep investigation why the woman, who made the video, did so. Whether or not she shot videos of other girls is a matter of investigation," Gulati said.
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UDF leaders see local body poll trends as pointer to 2026 Assembly elections in Kerala
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): Buoyed by the strong performance of the Congress-led UDF in the local body polls, KPCC president Sunny Joseph said on Saturday that the front's results indicated the people had rejected the LDF government.
According to early trends, the UDF was leading in more grama panchayats, block panchayats, municipalities and corporations than the LDF.
The local body polls were held in two phases in the state earlier this week.
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Speaking to reporters here, Joseph said the people of Kerala had extended their support to the UDF.
"We could expose the LDF government’s anti-people stance and the people understood it. The LDF’s fake propaganda was rejected by the people. The UDF is moving towards a historic victory," he said.
He said a united effort, proper preparations, good candidate selection and hard work had resulted in the Congress and the UDF’s victory in the elections.
Asked about the prospects in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, Joseph said the party was studying the matter and would comment later.
LDF convenor T P Ramakrishnan said the results would be closely examined.
According to him, the government had done everything possible for the people.
"Why such a verdict happened will be examined at the micro level. People’s opinion will be considered and further steps will be taken," he said.
He added that decisions would be taken after analysing the results. "If any corrective measures are required, we will initiate them and move forward," he said.
AICC leader K C Venugopal said the results showed that people had begun ousting those who, he alleged, were responsible for the loss of gold at Lord Ayyappa’s temple.
"This trend will continue in the Assembly elections as well. It is an indication that the people are ready to bring down the LDF government," he said.
Venugopal said the UDF had registered victories even in CPI(M) and LDF strongholds.
"I congratulate all UDF workers for their hard work. Congress workers and leaders worked unitedly," he said.
Referring to remarks made by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan against the Congress on polling day, Venugopal said the voters had responded through the verdict.
"I do not know whether the chief minister understands that the people are against him. Otherwise, he does not know the sentiment of the people. The state government cannot move an inch further," he said.
He said the results indicated a strong comeback for the UDF in Kerala.
Asked whether the Sabarimala gold loss issue had affected the LDF in the local polls, Venugopal said the CM and the CPI(M) state secretary did not take the issue seriously.
"We took a strong stand on the matter. The BJP played a foul game in it," he alleged.
On the BJP's role in the local body elections, Venugopal alleged that the party operated with the CPI(M) 's tacit support.
"The CPI(M) supported the central government on issues such as PM-SHRI, labour codes and corruption in national highway construction. The CPI(M) is facing ideological decline, and the state government’s policies are against the party’s own decisions," he said.
Meanwhile, LDF ally Kerala Congress (M) leader Jose K Mani said the party could not win all the wards it had expected in the elections.
He congratulated winners from all parties and said the party would closely examine the losses and identify shortcomings. "Later, we will take corrective measures," he added.
Senior Congress leader and MP Rajmohan Unnithan said the trends in the local body elections indicated that the UDF would return to power in the 2026 Assembly elections.
"We will win 111 seats as in 1977 and return to power in 2026. The anti-government sentiment of the people is reflected in the elections," he said.
Unnithan said the people were disturbed and unhappy with the present government.
"The trend indicates the end of the LDF government," he added.
CPI(M) MLA M M Mani said the people had shown ingratitude towards the LDF despite benefiting from welfare schemes.
"After receiving all welfare schemes and living comfortably, people voted against us due to some temporary sentiments. Is that not ingratitude," he asked.
Mani said no such welfare initiatives had taken place in Kerala earlier.
"People are receiving pensions and have enough to eat. Even after getting all this, they voted against us. This is what can be called ingratitude," he said.
Muslim League state president Panakkad Sayyid Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal said the results were beyond expectations.
"The outcome points towards the Secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram, indicating that a change of government is imminent. We are going to win the Assembly election," he said.
