At least 30 students were injured during an on-campus clash with security guards over an alleged suicide of a female student, harassment, and other issues at the Punjab University, police said today, October 23, PTI reported.
Around ten security guards and a police officer too were injured in the clashes that took place on Tuesday, October 22, when the university students, under the banner of the Punjab University Student Federation (PUSF), raised issues such as the alleged suicide by the female student, harassment, profiling of students, especially Baloch, by the intelligence agencies, and fee hike.
Speaking about it, Punjab University spokesperson Khurram Shahzad told PTI today that the protesting students made provocative speeches and hurled stones at the varsity guards when they tried to stop them, leading to injuries to 10 guards, a police officer, and a few students in the clashes. Further, he said an FIR has been lodged against over 50 students for attacking the varsity guards.
“Police have arrested some of them during a late-night raid,” he said, and he also maintained that the university administration might expel those students who incited their fellows to violence, PTI reported.
PUSF leader speaks
However, PUSF leader Arif Kakar said that they reacted when the security guards attacked the students to disperse them. According to Kakar, at least 30 students had been injured by the guards' torture, and they were shifted to a local hospital.
“We had gathered to demand justice for the girl who was found dead in the hostel last week and the recent semester fee hike and other demands,” he said and demanded action against the guards for torturing the students.
Last week, Punjab saw a series of student protests over the alleged on-campus rape incident in Lahore. Dozens of students were injured in the clash with police and a college security guard was killed.
Protests at university
Protests had erupted following social media reports that a female student at Punjab College for Women Lahore had allegedly been raped by a security guard in the institution's basement.
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has blamed former prime minister Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party for spreading fake news on social media claiming no such incident had taken place. Additionally, a police inquiry also supported the CM's claim.
The Punjab government closed all educational institutions for three days last week to handle the student protests, even as over 600 students were arrested on account of violent protests, PTI reported.
