Chandigarh Girls' Hostel Video Leak: Women's Panel Seeks Action

The National Commission for Women has sought action over alleged leaked videos of hostel girls at Chandigarh University in Punjab. 

The Commission said it has come across multiple media reports and Twitter posts alleging that videos of girls living in a hostel of Chandigarh University have been leaked.

Protests erupted on the campus of the university over "rumours" that some videos of several women students were recorded. Students claimed that the administration was trying to cover up the cases of suicides.

Mohali Senior Superintendent of Police Vivek Sheel Soni said no case of attempted suicide by any woman student has come to notice. He also said no death took place in connection with the incident. The university as well rubbished social media posts claiming several girls attempted to die by suicide. 

Mr Soni, told reporters that it has been found during preliminary investigation that a woman student, who has been arrested, had shared her own video with someone stated to be from Himachal Pradesh whose role is also under the scanner.

The university authorities also rejected reports that videos of several women students were made and shared on social media and said only one student had shared her own personal video which circulated online.

The National Commission for Women (NCW) in a statement said that chairperson Rekha Sharma has written to the Director General of Police, Punjab to immediately file an FIR against the culprits and to deal with the matter strictly and without any laxity.  

The victims must be given proper counselling and their safety and security must be ensured, the NCW said.  

The women rights body has also written to Vice Chancellor, Chandigarh University to take stringent action against the culprits in accordance with law and that the university must investigate the matter extensively and in a fair manner.  

The Commission has also urged the chairperson of the Punjab State Commission for Women to immediately inquire into the facts of the case and ensure that the police is conducting a fair investigation in the matter without any influence.  

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Sunday ordered a probe into the matter following the protests that took place past midnight in the Chandigarh University campus located on the Ludhiana-Chandigarh road.