A student was pronounced clinically dead following a clash between two groups at University of Agriculture (UoA) on Tuesday after which four students were arrested.
According to the university’s administration, a scuffle took place on Monday between two students over a girl. However, the administration did not involve the police in the matter and tried to resolve the dispute on its own.
“We had decided to resolve the matter today,” a lecturer at the university informed The Express Tribune. However, before they could mediate, students took the matter into their own hands. “Two groups, who were possibly friends of both boys, opened fire at each other,” the lecturer said.
Another student, who was passing by and had nothing to do with the issue, was also critically injured when a bullet hit him in the head. He was rushed to Hayatabad Medical Complex (HMC) where he was declared clinically dead. He has been identified as Altaf Alam, a final semester student at the department of entomology.
According to the university administration, Alam was the son of Alamzeb, a serving member of Pakistan Air Force (PAF) and lived in Tehkal. When contacted, Fazlur Rehman, muharrar at Campus police station, said four men were arrested whereas the others remain at large. A case has been registered against the accused on the recommendation of the university’s administration. He added the university has been closed for an indefinite period. Meanwhile, the university’s administration plans to vacate the hostel.
Students protest
Students of the Postgraduate College Timergara in Lower Dir took to the streets on Tuesday to protest against the unannounced closure of their college.
According to an official of Timergara police, student activists from Peoples Students Federation (PSF) had filled the college premises with wall-chalking in favour of their organisation. Subsequently, Islami Jamiat-e-Talaba activists complained to the principal.
The principal forwarded the complaint to Lower Dir Deputy Commissioner (DC) Muhammad Sohail to take further action, the official added. The DC then directed the administration to close the college for two days. The next day, students were informed by police officials deployed on the premises that the college would remain closed on October 21 and 22.
According to the police official, the Pukhtun Students Federation and Insaf Student Federation joined hands and pressed the administration to open the college. Police then resorted to baton-charge and aerial firing to disperse the students from the college premises. Subsequently, the students blocked main Timergara Road at Shaheed Chowk to protest against the closure. The army was then called in to defuse the situation.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 22nd, 2014.
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