Protest at Chandigarh University over alleged MMS scandal; CM orders high-level probe

The Chandigarh Police on Sunday arrested a woman student from Mohali for allegedly leaking objectionable videos of other students of a private university in the state.

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Sunday ordered a probe and expressed anguish over the incident at Chandigarh University following "rumours" that some objectionable videos of several female students were recorded by a woman student.

"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," said Mann while appealing to people not to believe rumours.

A large number of students held a protest at the university's campus late on Saturday night.

The protest took place past midnight at Chandigarh University campus located at Ludhiana-Chandigarh road. The university authorities, however, rejected reports that videos of several women students were made and shared on social media.

Mohali Senior Superintendent of Police Vivek Sheel Soni told reporters that protests erupted in the university after a "rumour" that videos of several women students had been made.

He said an FIR under IPC section 354-C (voyeurism) and the IT Act has been registered in the matter and a woman student has been apprehended.

During preliminary investigation, it has come to light that the 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, the police officer said.

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.

(With PTI inputs)