Chandigarh, June 11 — Still reeling from the trauma of a student’s murder during a March concert, Panjab University (PU) has sought police action over a violent altercation that erupted late Sunday night at Gate Number 2 of the campus. The administration has formally requested an FIR against the accused involved in the incident, which unfolded in the presence of security staff and was caught on camera.
Footage of the brawl, now circulating widely on social media, shows a former PU student attacking two young men with a stick, as others join in with punches and kicks. One of the attackers was seen wielding a baseball bat, while another reportedly grabbed a security guard’s baton lying near the gate to strike the victims.
PU’s Chief of University Security (CUS), Vikram Singh, confirmed that the university had written to police, requesting legal action for breaching campus peace and endangering safety. “We have taken suo-motu cognisance of the incident. A complaint has been submitted to register an FIR,” he said.
The main accused is believed to be a 2024 graduate of the University Institute of Applied Management Sciences (UIAMS). According to university officials, the violence broke out around 11:50 pm between groups of current and former UIAMS students. Though both parties agreed to a compromise and refrained from filing formal complaints, the university acted independently in seeking police intervention.
Security concerns have intensified as the incident unfolded in the presence of at least two PU guards, who failed to intervene effectively. They eventually contacted the PCR, but the police vehicle arrived nearly 10 minutes later, ferrying the accused to the Sector 25 police post.
“We are deeply concerned about the handling of the situation by our on-ground security personnel,” said Dinesh Kumar, faculty in-charge of security and member of the Department of Laws. He added that an inquiry had been initiated into the conduct of the two guards, who will be given an opportunity to present their version.
As part of immediate reforms, PU announced plans to appoint dedicated security in-charges for every gate to prevent similar lapses. Additionally, the university is expediting the recruitment of 50 new security guards and four security officers—preferably ex-servicemen—by the end of June.
“This is the first instance since November last year that PU has formally approached the police to register an FIR,” Singh noted. The previous case involved a confrontation between student protesters and police during a campus visit by Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.
Meanwhile, student groups including the Students Organisation of India have condemned the violence and criticised the apparent inaction of campus security during the scuffle. The organisation urged the university to implement stricter measures to ensure student safety and accountability.
