HC seeks status report on LPU violence, lens on social media claims
Chandigarh: The Punjab and Haryana high court on Wednesday sought a comprehensive status report from Punjab Police on the violence at Lovely Professional University (LPU), Phagwara , following the circulation of unverified social-media claims about the alleged rape and death of a girl student.
The division bench of Chief Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra and Justice Rohit Kapoor directed the state counsel to file the report under the signatures of the police commissioner, Jalandhar, and apprise the court of the action taken. The next hearing is on Oct 8.
A detailed order was yet to be released.
The directions came during the hearing of a PIL filed by LPU student Ravi Raj, seeking a CBI probe into the violence, arson, vandalism, alleged looting and blockade of NH-44 at the university on Sept 26-27 night.
The petition also sought an investigation into the origin and circulation of unverified claims regarding the alleged rape and death of a girl student, including the role of non-students. During the proceedings, the bench orally questioned whether the alleged incident had actually taken place, with the veracity of the claims forming part of the proceedings.
Senior advocate Gourav Chopra, assisted by advocate Arjun Sheoran, appeared for the petitioner. Chopra submitted that certain miscreants were circulating rumours on Reddit and other social-media platforms regarding the alleged rape and suicide/death of two girls in the university hostel.
The petitioner has sought a CBI probe, or alternatively a court-monitored SIT, into the violence, arson, vandalism, alleged looting, NH-44 blockade and origin and circulation of the claims. It has also sought preservation of CCTV footage and action to establish the source of the social-media content.
Police in touch with Reddit: Additional AG
Additional advocate general Chanchal Singla, appearing for the state, said FIRs had been lodged and an investigation was underway. He said authorities received information about the incident around 1.45am. The police were also in touch with Reddit authorities to ascertain the source of the post.
The PIL, filed on Sept 28, states that the violence followed circulation of an unverified Reddit post and subsequent messages, audio clips and videos claiming that a girl student had been raped on campus, sent home and died by suicide. The petition said the university and police had denied knowledge of such an incident and the claims had not been independently verified.
The division bench of Chief Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra and Justice Rohit Kapoor directed the state counsel to file the report under the signatures of the police commissioner, Jalandhar, and apprise the court of the action taken. The next hearing is on Oct 8.
A detailed order was yet to be released.
The directions came during the hearing of a PIL filed by LPU student Ravi Raj, seeking a CBI probe into the violence, arson, vandalism, alleged looting and blockade of NH-44 at the university on Sept 26-27 night.
The petition also sought an investigation into the origin and circulation of unverified claims regarding the alleged rape and death of a girl student, including the role of non-students. During the proceedings, the bench orally questioned whether the alleged incident had actually taken place, with the veracity of the claims forming part of the proceedings.
Senior advocate Gourav Chopra, assisted by advocate Arjun Sheoran, appeared for the petitioner. Chopra submitted that certain miscreants were circulating rumours on Reddit and other social-media platforms regarding the alleged rape and suicide/death of two girls in the university hostel.
The petitioner has sought a CBI probe, or alternatively a court-monitored SIT, into the violence, arson, vandalism, alleged looting, NH-44 blockade and origin and circulation of the claims. It has also sought preservation of CCTV footage and action to establish the source of the social-media content.
Police in touch with Reddit: Additional AG
Additional advocate general Chanchal Singla, appearing for the state, said FIRs had been lodged and an investigation was underway. He said authorities received information about the incident around 1.45am. The police were also in touch with Reddit authorities to ascertain the source of the post.
The PIL, filed on Sept 28, states that the violence followed circulation of an unverified Reddit post and subsequent messages, audio clips and videos claiming that a girl student had been raped on campus, sent home and died by suicide. The petition said the university and police had denied knowledge of such an incident and the claims had not been independently verified.
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