Factions clash at PU, once again

An old animosity between factions of Student Organisation of Panjab University SOPU and Haryana Student Association HSA turned ugly right outside the Botany department at the Panjab University campus today.

An old animosity between factions of Student Organisation of Panjab University SOPU and Haryana Student Association HSA turned ugly right outside the Botany department at the Panjab University campus today.

Two persons reportedly sustained injuries in the group clash and were identified as Sanjay Kumar and Surinder, former students of GSSD College in Sector 32 and HSA supporters. Police arrested former SOPU president, Uday Bhan, and Ankush, a student of Law department, from the spot.

Sources said Sanjay and one Sumit were involved in a tiff with SOPU supporters during the college elections last month. University Police Post in-charge Uday Pal Singh said Sanjay had come to the university on Wednesday to seek admission in the Physical Education department. 8220;The members of SOPU saw him and decided to take revenge,8221; he added.

Sources, however, said the groups had prefixed the clash and designated a time and venue for it. 8220;About 30 HSA supporters reached the students8217; centre at 3 pm armed with swords and other weapons. When SOPU supporters reached the spot, the HSA supporters attacked them. The SOPU supporters ran towards the Botany department where their other members were waiting,8221; sources added.

Eyewitnesses said the clash lasted 15 minutes until the police intervened. The gates of the university were immediately closed.

The members, however, managed to flee after scaling the wall of the campus opposite PGI. The police immediately rushed the two injured to Government Multi-Specialty Hospital in Sector 16. Doctors attending to them stated their condition was stable.

Prof Naval Kishore, Dean Students Welfare, said: 8220;The students who are involved in the incident are outsiders and I am still to enquire about the matter and get details.8221;

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Police have registered a case against SOPU party president Barinder Singh Dhillon, president of campus from SOPU Sahil Nanda, Uday Bhan and Ankush, under Sections 147,148,149,323 and 506 of the IPC. Besides the two arrested, the others are still at large.