- Students stage a sit-in outside the Punjab Assembly.
- Students from other cities also joined the protests.
- Lahore Police asks citizens to come forward.
LAHORE: Students of a private college took to the streets for a second day on Tuesday to protest the rape of a girl in Lahore, a day after dozens were injured in violent clashes between protesters and law enforcement forces.
A group of students gathered outside a private college on Monday in a protest call after reports of the alleged rape of a student spread on social media platforms.
At least 28 people, including four policemen, were injured after the protests turned violent. The protest was later postponed and it was decided to resume the demonstration again today.
It is noteworthy that the police arrested the college security guard accused of raping the student and opened an investigation into the matter.
However, the suspect denied these accusations, while the police were also unable to find evidence to prove them.
Earlier in the day, Punjab Police also refuted allegations regarding the alleged rape of a private college student, saying there was “no victim” linked to the allegations.
However, the students continued their protest today and staged a sit-in in front of the Punjab Assembly on Charing Cross Mall Road amid heavy police presence.
Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Defense Shehrabano Naqvi while speaking to the hosts of ‘Geo Pakistan’ on Tuesday said that the girl named as the alleged victim was admitted to the hospital 10 days before the day of the alleged incident.
“Her medical reports are available, the record of the hospitals she was admitted to is also available, and information about how she fell while preparing for school at her home is also available,” the officer said.
Asp pointed out that two girls in college have the same name, one of them is completely fine, while the other is the girl who was hospitalized.
In the meantime. Students from other cities of Punjab also joined the protests as some of them vandalized a university building on Busan Road in Multan after which the police arrested dozens of students and charged them with batons.
In Jahanian, students marched on motorcycles, while in Zafarwal, students blocked traffic by setting tires on fire, demanding justice and a transparent investigation into the matter.
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz on Monday formed a six-member inquiry committee headed by the Chief Secretary.
Meanwhile, Lahore Police also asked citizens for details of the incident, saying anyone with information should report to the Virtual Women Police Station.
The girl’s family denies that she was raped
As protests rocked the provincial capital, the girl’s family appeared and denied the allegations related to the alleged rape.
In a video message with ASP Naqvi, the girl’s father and uncle – with their faces covered by masks – said that “there was no sexual assault” on their daughter.
“We were surprised to see videos of ongoing protests on social media.”
The girl’s uncle said that she is currently undergoing treatment in the hospital’s intensive care unit due to the injury she sustained in her back as a result of a fall in their home, adding that the protests in her name were organized incorrectly.
In the video, ASP Naqvi said that he asked the fans to avoid fielding anyone on the basis of false reports.
She insisted that the police always register a case on her behalf in case such crimes are committed.