What Happened: A committee found that claims of a rape incident involving a female student from a private college were based on false social media reports, leading to protests across Punjab.
What you need to know: A seven-member committee, led by Chief Secretary of Punjab Zahid Zaman, concluded that the alleged rape of a female student from a private college was based on false information circulating on social media. The report, which includes contributions from the advocate general of Punjab, the home secretary, and the secretaries for Higher and Special Education, spans nine pages and is signed by all officials involved.
What more: The committee found that a social media post about the alleged incident sparked violent protests among students outside various campuses of the Punjab Group of Colleges on October 14, 2024, particularly at Campus 10. Protests escalated on October 15 and 16, leading to unrest in multiple cities across Punjab.
Also: During their investigation, the committee interviewed the alleged victim and her parents, who firmly denied any occurrence of such an incident. They explained that the girl had sustained injuries at home and was admitted to a private hospital. Additionally, the committee learned that the girl had not been a student at the campus in question; she had not attended college since October 2 due to her injury. This was corroborated by the college’s records, which aligned with the statements made by the girl and her parents.