Chandigarh: Cross-FIRs filed day after clash between NSUI factions at Panjab University, 6 held

A day after a violent clash between two factions of National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) at Panjab University, the Chandigarh Police registered cross-FIRs in the case.

The clash near Boys Hostel Number 4 had left at least five students injured, days after the fatal stabbing of a UIET student during a concert on the campus on March 28.

The first FIR was lodged at the Sector-11 police station based on a complaint by Jaskaran Singh, a resident of Bhini village in Rupnagar.

Jaskaran alleged that he was assaulted by Kuldeep Singh, Bhalu, Anurag Vardan and others. Following investigation, police arrested accused Anuj from Sector 37-B, and Anurag and Kuldeep from Boys Hostel Number 4.

The second FIR, also filed at the same police station, was based on a counter-complaint by Kuldeep Singh, who accused Gurjeet, Jaskaran Singh, Lovepreet and others of assaulting him during the same incident.

In this case, Harwinder Singh, Jaskaran Singh and Sahajpreet Singh were arrested.

According to the FIRs, the clash occurred on Tuesday evening and involved multiple students from both groups. Police are investigating the matter under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including 115 (2), 126 (2), 190, 191 (2) and 351(2).

As per investigators, the altercation appears to have stemmed from simmering tensions between rival NSUI factions, though the precise cause remains under investigation. Both groups have blamed each other for initiating the fight, and authorities are reviewing CCTV footage and witness statements to determine the sequence of events.

Police officials confirmed that all arrested individuals were released on bail and that further investigations were ongoing to determine accountability.

PU forms panel to probe brawl

Meanwhile, Panjab University authorities have constituted a committee to look into the brawl, with slain UIET student Aditya Thakur’s father urging students not to protest in the name of his son.

Students have been divided into two factions amid the protests that followed Aditya’s death.

A Joint Action Committee, led by PU Campus Student Council vice-president Archit Garg, has been demanding the resignation of key authorities for negligence towards students’ security, while another faction, a Democratic Student Front, led by council president Anurag Dalal, ended their protest after Aditya’s family received financial aid from university authorities. Both factions have been slandering each other on social media, blaming each other of corruption.

On Wednesday, Dalal posted a video of Aditya’s father on social media, asking students not to protest in his son’s name.

“The day I went to protest for my son’s death, I had asked you to come join me, but you didn’t stand with me that time. Now, I have learned from social media that a protest is still going on in the name of my son. I request you not to use my son’s name for politics,” appealed Aditya’s father Parveen.

PU dean student welfare Amit Chauhan said a committee, under the associate DSW and three wardens, had been constituted to probe the Tuesday incident. “Chief of university security has submitted a report regarding the incident. Within a couple of days, a decision on further action will be taken from PU’s side,” he said.

With outsiders also allegedly among those injured during the clash, PU registrar YP Verma said PU was identifying the outsiders who were present on the campus during the clash. “We are very strict about the no-outsiders rule. We are identifying the outsiders involved and will permanently ban them from the PU campus,” he added.

HC notice on plea alleging use of vulgar songs at PU concert

The Punjab and Haryana high court on Wednesday sought response from the Chandigarh director general of police (DGP), deputy commissioner and PU DSW on a plea alleging contempt of court by allowing songs promoting vulgarity and gun culture during the March 28 concert on the PU campus.

The high court bench of justice Harkesh Manuja acted on the plea from lawyer Yatin Mehta, who alleged that by allowing playing of such songs, the officers in question violated the 2019 orders of the high court.

While taking serious view of the issue, the high court sought response by May 8 and directed that if the response was not submitted within 10 days, the officer concerned will join the proceedings through video-conferencing.

Mehta had submitted that in July 2019, while dealing with the issue of noise pollution and related issues, the high court had directed the DGPs of Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh to ensure that no songs, glorifying liquor, wine, drugs and violence in any song, were played, even in live shows.

However, during the concert organised by students on March 28, vulgar songs were sung by Haryanvi singer Masoom Sharma. Hence, the officers concerned be hauled up for contempt of court. It was the same concert where University Institute of Engineering and technology (UIET) student Aditya Thakur was stabbed, leading to his death the next morning after excessive bleeding.