Ghaziabad: Student assaulted over argument at party, 18 booked

Ghaziabad: The Ghaziabad police booked 18 people for rioting, assault, and criminal intimidation on Saturday, nearly a week after a 19-year-old law student was allegedly assaulted by a group of people outside a private college over an argument that occurred at a freshers’ party on October 19.

Police identified the victim as Om Chaudhary, a resident of Nehru Nagar, Ghaziabad, pursuing BA LLB at a private college in Ghaziabad.

In a police complaint filed at the Indirapuram police station on October 22, the victim’s father, Vinod Chaudhary, stated that on October 19, his son “Om had gone to attend a college freshers’ party and accidentally dropped water on another student’s clothes. The issue escalated and a heated argument took place”.

“Next day, Om was called by the same student for an apology. As demanded, Om apologised in front of other students, and it was video recorded. Despite a public apology, two days after the incident on October 22 when Om was returning home along with a friend, he was accosted by a group of 20 to 25 people outside the college gate and brutally assaulted,” read the first information report registered later based on the complaint.

“After locals intervened, the suspects fled the spot threatening Om with dire consequences. His condition is informed to be stable, said Swatantra Singh, assistant commissioner of police, Indirapuram.

Police registered a case under sections 191(2) (rioting), 115(2) (assault), and 351(2) (criminal intimidation) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita against eight identified and 10 unidentified suspects, aged between 20 and 25, at Indirapuram police station on Saturday, and a further investigation is on.