Punjab: Massive protest at Chandigarh University over leaked videos of 60 hostel girls, Kejriwal assures action

Huge protests have broken out in Mohali’s Chandigarh University after a girl allegedly leaked objectionable videos of other students, which are being widely shared on the internet. The woman student has been taken into police custody, said officials.

Police and the private university's administration have denied social media claims regarding several girls attempting to die by suicide due to the incident, deeming them rumors. University officials said that one of the alleged affected girls had fainted and has been hospitalised. 

Arvind Kejriwal, whose party rules Punjab, tweeted in Hindi to say the incident was “serious and shameful” as he asked all affected students “daughters” and asked them to be strong.

“This is very serious and shameful. All the culprits involved in this will get the harshest punishment. The daughters who are affected must be strong. We are all with you. Everyone must be patient,” he said.

Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann also condemned the incident and ordered a high-level probe. "Sad to hear about the unfortunate incident at Chandigarh University. Our daughters our respect... a high-level inquiry has been ordered into the incident... severe action will be taken against whoever is found guilty. I am in touch with the administration. I appeal to everyone to avoid rumours," he tweeted. 

Punjab Education Minister appealed students to maintain peace and ensured strict action against the guilty. "I humbly request all the students of Chandigarh University to remain calm, no one guilty will be spared. It’s a very sensitive matter & relates to dignity of our sisters & daughters. We all including media should be very very cautious,it is also test of ours now as a society," he tweeted. 

I humbly request all the students of Chandigarh University to remain calm, no one guilty will be spared.

It’s a very sensitive matter & relates to dignity of our sisters & daughters.

We all including media should be very very cautious,it is also test of ours now as a society.

— Harjot Singh Bains (@harjotbains) September 18, 2022

According to reports, the woman student accused of leaking the videos online was also allegedly demanding money from others for not leaking them. After the matter came to light, hundreds of students held protests in the varsity campus and also on the Ludhiana-Chandigarh highway late Saturday night. 

The accused students allegedly filmed 60 female students while taking bath and sent the video to a friend, who released the video on internet. 

It is reported that eight woman students attempted suicide after the came to light and they have been taken to different hospitals. 

The girl students say that they complained about this to the college management, but the college management did not take any action in the matter. 

Zee News quoted sources saying that the accused woman had been making such objectionable videos since a long time and was sending them to a youth in Shimla.

Meanwhile, The Indian Express quoted Mohali SSP Vivek Sheel Soni saying that the woman had admitted that she sent her photographs to her friend but they were verifying whether she had sent pictures of other girls as well.