College student attacked with sharp weapon at Palampur bus stop; critical
After the woman was attacked in a public place, the BJP says law and order has deteriorated in Himachal Pradesh.
3 min read
The incident occurred at a shopping complex near the Palampur bus stand on Saturday. (Screengrab)A 19-year-old student of a government college in Palampur of Himachal Pradesh’s Kangra district was repeatedly attacked with a sharp-edged weapon by a man after an argument at a shopping complex near the town bus stand on Saturday.
The victim, who sustained severe sharp injuries to her hands and head, was taken to RPGMC Tanda Hospital at Palampur and then referred to PGIMER, Chandigarh, where doctors are performing surgery on her fingers.
While the exact motive behind the attack is yet to be confirmed, sources said the assailant, Sumit Chaudhary, 28, and the victim had been in a relationship for the last four years but the woman stopped interacting with him. Chaudhary, who is from the Nagrota area in Kangra, is a contractual employee with the Public Works Department (PWD).
When contacted, Shalini Agnihotri, Superintendent of Police, Kangra, said, “The assailant is in police custody. During interrogation, he claimed the victim had started ignoring him and blocked him from her social media accounts. Though he claimed to have been in a relationship with her, we cannot solely rely on his statements”.
“The victim was referred to PGIMER. We are coordinating with PGI doctors who have advised us to wait for some time before recording the victim’s statement,” added Agnihotri.
A video of the incident has gone viral, triggering outrage among netizens. In the video, the assailant carrying a sharp-edged weapon can be seen intercepting the victim on the stairs and starting an argument with her. When the victim resists, the accused attacks her at least nine to ten times.
The video, shot by onlookers, also shows the man threatening passersby if they intervene, but once the victim stops him, several people apprehend the suspect and beat him up.
Meanwhile, the Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has attacked the Congress-led state government, claiming the “law and order situation in Himachal Pradesh has collapsed”. State BJP chief Dr Rajeev Bindal said, “How the assailant attacked a woman around a dozen times shows that goons are roaming fearlessly in the state. It is not good for the state”.
According to the police, a case of attempted murder and wrongful confinement was registered at Palampur police station.
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