Students and Police Clash at PGC during Protest over Alleged Rape
Lahore: Amid conflicting official statements, police on Monday violently dispersed a protest at a private college in Lahore’s Gulberg area, injuring at least 28 students. The protest was triggered by reports of rape of a female student by a security guard. Confusion cropped up as government officials, police, and the college administration gave varying accounts of the alleged incident.
Punjab government spokesperson Azma Bukhari and police officials claimed nothing such as rape had happened, whereas the province’s education minister, Rana Sikandar Hayat, backed students’ demands for an impartial inquiry. Hayat visited the protest site and told the students that if the allegations were true, action would be taken. He also said that the college’s registration could be canceled because evidence, such as deleting security footage, was found.
In its turn, the Directorate of Public Instruction (Colleges), Punjab decided to suspend the registration of the Punjab College for Women “till further orders,” as tensions mounted during the protests.
The rioting worsened as the police issued warnings to the students to end the protest or lose it. Footage of video recorded at the scene captures anti-riot police and other security personnel running amok, chasing and battering students. Many fled into nearby shopping areas and houses but still were pursued by the police, who caused injuries to thousands of demonstrators.
Protesters called the college administration into question for trying to sweep the alleged rape under the rug with the deletion of CCTV footage. They further demanded a transparent and comprehensive investigation into the incident. However, college officials issued an assertion rejecting the rape allegations as they were accused of inciting the unrest with the “false claims circulating on social media.” A statement like this served to assert the dedication of the college to its safety measures and complete transparency by assuring that severe legal action will be taken against those spreading “negative propaganda.”.
Even though police have arrested a suspect, the accused guard denied his involvement in any crime during his investigation. Police alleged that they reviewed CCTV footage available from the college as well as local buildings but found no trace of the raped victim. Lahore DIG Operations Faisal Kamran stated that some people intentionally created chaos by circulating basesless rumors about the incident and actually committing the alleged rape on social media.
Kamran said that the police had visited the family of one female student they identified as the girl who was raped, but her father told them this was not true and that his daughter had simply died of illness after breathing through a ventilator for a week, not because any crime was inflicted on her. Punjab’s Information Minister Azma Bukhari also said that preliminary investigations into the issue did not find any traces of the alleged rape.
In wake of public protest, Punjab’s Chief Minister set up high-level committee comprising of province chief secretary, advocate general, other senior officers reporting back within 48 hours.
While college administration and its officials are still on record stating no crime was committed, the protest is getting intense with joining agitation from students of other adjoining colleges also demanding justice.
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