Lahore police baton-charge Punjab college students for protesting against rape of female colleague

Lahore police baton-charged students of Punjab College during a protest for a first-year intermediate female student, who was allegedly sexually assaulted by a security guard within the institute.

Protesters blocked Canal Road and demonstrated near Muslim Town Mor in response to the alleged incident. A heavy contingent of Punjab police was deployed to disperse the demonstrators.

During the protest, a college guard injured one student, and the condition of a female student deteriorated, both of whom were transferred to the hospital.

Following the administration's denial of a recent incident, angry protesters set fire to the college's furniture, storming the premises and chanting slogans.

📍Punjab College Gulberg

Police baton charge protesting students. #rape #lahore #punjabcollege @MaryamNSharif pic.twitter.com/CwqVTO80tE

— Voicepk.net (@voicepkdotnet) October 14, 2024

The news of the alleged rape went viral on social media, with various accounts claiming that the assault took place in the basement of Punjab College Campus 10 in Lahore’s Gulberg area.

The incident reportedly occurred a week ago, but the victim's family has not come forward to report the heinous crime, police said.

Students intensified their demands for the arrest of the guard, who went into hiding following the incident. According to DIG Operations Faisal Kamran, the police apprehended him outside Lahore.

Authorities have yet to verify whether the incident occurred at the college. Speaking to the media, DIG Kamran said no records of the female student had been found in four to five private hospitals, and the security guard, now in custody, denied the allegations.

Kamran also asserted that no evidence had been recovered from the college's CCTV footage and urged students not to believe rumours.

He stated that anyone with information regarding the incident could come forward and cooperate with the police investigation.