Patiala University student’s death: Protest ends; Prof removed from coordinator’s post

As per reports, the protest ended in Patiala University after district administration and university officials assured the protesting students that the committee would complete the probe within 21 days.

Protests were going on at Punjabi University after a student’s death under mysterious circumstances. As per reports, on Monday, Prof Surjit Singh was removed from the post of coordinator of the Five-Year Integrated Programme (FYIP).

The decision is said to have come after protests by various students’ unions along with the family members of the deceased girl.

The university had ordered a probe against him after receiving complaints against him for allegedly mentally harassing a girl in his department, who died at her residence on September 14, as reported by Hindustan Times.

The professor was thrashed by students last week and is still in the ICU of a private hospital in Patiala. Currently, he is on medical leave.

More Details

A committee has been formed with two members to investigate the incident. It is headed by an additional sessions judge (retired) Jaswinder Singh. As per the demands of the protesting students, the district administration and university officials appointed a woman paediatrician (child specialist), Dr Harshinder Kaur of Government Rajindra Hospital, as a member of the committee.

Patiala SDM Dr Ismat Vijay Singh said, "Any girl student can express her concerns against the professor to the woman member of the probing committee.”

Earlier, Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) leader Simranjit Singh Mann paid a visit to the campus and sought an independent probe from the police with respect to the allegations against the professor.

Read more:

• Kota: NEET aspirant commits suicide; 26th case this year
• Noida: Schools, colleges to stay shut on Sep 22 due to MotoGP, UP ITS