Panjab University protest turns violent; Lathi-charge on demonstrators

Chandigarh: At Punjab University, a protest escalated into violence as demonstrators faced a lathi-charge from police after breaking barricades to enter Chandigarh. Farmers participating in the rally clashed with authorities, while Haryana Police stationed buses at the border to stop further movement, causing a traffic jam extending over 1.5 kilometers. The situation led to chaos around the university. Students at Panjab University in Chandigarh are staging a sit-in protest against the Senate amendment proposal. Although the central government has withdrawn its notification, students are still protesting until the Senate election date is finalized. A protest was called for today, and the uproar continued on campus until late at night. HSA Announces Protest Haryana youth from the Hindustan Student Association (HSA) are also ready to participate in the protest. They stated that Panjab University also belongs to students from Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, and other states. The HSA party says it will protest at Gate No. 1 at 6 pm to protest against PU's Punjab-centric nature. BSF, Punjab University Sign MoU For Academic Collaboration In Sports Sciences, Services Entry Of Farmer Groups During the protest, several farmer groups from Mohali entered Chandigarh. They entered the university with flags in their hands and began creating a ruckus on the campus. The PU Bachao Morcha warned that those arrested at 10 am should be released within an hour. Mob Enters From Sector 15 Farmer groups staged a sit-in in Mohali Phase 6, blocking the road. Vehicles were stopped on all three sides, disrupting traffic for several kilometers. People from Chandigarh Sector 15 Market moved towards Gate No. 1 of the university. The SSP was present at the scene and tried to persuade them several times, but the crowd refused to budge. The mob broke the gate and entered the campus. Some Nihang groups were also involved in the protest. Police Stopped Leader Parminder Dhindsa Punjab leader Parminder Dhindsa also arrived at the scene. Police prevented him from entering the campus, which angered students and protesters. Chandigarh's Borders Sealed Protests related to the Senate elections created chaos in the surrounding areas. Chandigarh Police sealed the borders for visitors to and from Mohali, Zirakpur, and New Chandigarh. All entry points, including Phase 6, Phase 2, Zirakpur, and New Chandigarh, were blocked since morning. Tension Between Police And Farmers A heated exchange occurred between farmers and police in Phase 6. Police prevented the farmers from proceeding further, after which they staged a sit-in and began shouting slogans. The protesters continued to chant "PU belongs to Punjab" and opposed the proposed amendments to the Senate. Punjab: Two accused nabbed in Amritsar for Italy-based NRI murder Monitoring Situation Protests and tensions continued throughout the day. The university administration and police are closely monitoring the situation and have increased security both inside and outside the campus. Barricades were erected at several locations to control the protesters, and several people were detained. This protest is an example of the growing tension between university politics and student organizations, which has been further complicated by the involvement of external elements and farmer groups.