Ludhiana, April 22: Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) witnessed heavy police presence today as members of the PAU Employees Union gathered to protest the suspension of a staff member.
The campus, usually a hub for academic activities, transformed into a virtual police cantonment, with Commissioner of Police, Ludhiana, Swapan Sharma, and a large team of senior police officials, including anti-riot units, stationed across the area.
Union members, who had planned a peaceful protest, were quickly detained by police as soon as they arrived on campus. The issue at the heart of the protest was the suspension of Malkit Singh, an employee in the plant breeding department. Singh had raised concerns about an alleged incident involving an Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader caught in a compromising situation with a woman on the university campus.
Manoj, a union member, explained the circumstances that led to the protest. “A PAU employee recently caught an AAP leader with a woman in a car in an objectionable state on campus.
Malkit Singh, who reported the matter to university authorities, found himself suspended instead of the AAP leader being held accountable,” Manoj said.
He further criticized the heavy police response, stating, “Today, PAU has been converted into a police cantonment to prevent us from raising our voice. Our members have been rounded up under government pressure.”
The protest has raised concerns among PAU staff about the lack of accountability and transparency in handling such sensitive issues. Despite the heavy police presence, union members remain determined to continue their efforts to address what they see as an unjust suspension.
