RAWALPINDI: As many as 250 people have been arrested after scores of students took to the streets in the city against an alleged rape of a college student — a report that the Punjab government has vehemently denied.
The protesting students ransacked a hostel in the city's Dhoke Gangal area and resorted to stone pelting targeting a college building and damaged nearby vehicles after which the police used tear gas and managed to evacuate the teachers and staff who were initially trapped in the building.
The police have urged the students to abstain from becoming part of illegal activities while further warning of stern action against the elements behind the protests.
Today's demonstrations come amid the ongoing unrest across the province over rape allegations which went viral on social media platforms prompting students to hold multiple demonstrations across various cities in recent days.
More than two dozen people, including four policemen, were injured in violent protests in Lahore on Tuesday.
The turmoil eventually warranted a strong response from Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz who, while speaking to the media on Wednesday, announced a crackdown on those spreading fake news regarding the rape of a student.
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Operations Hafiz Kamran Asghar said that the police had dispersed the protesters and the situation was fully under control.
"Several protesters have been arrested. All angles of the protest are being investigated," said the cop, adding that heavy police contingents have been deployed at various locations.
Meanwhile, Elite Force troops have also been deployed on the Sixth Road to maintain law and order situation.
Rawalpindi Deputy Commissioner Hassan Waqar Cheema also reiterated that the overall situation in the city was under control.
"Negotiations with student leadership have been successful. After the protest, the students left for their homes," he said.
Cheema stated that many protesters who damaged property under the guise of protest have been arrested, while an additional police force has been stationed outside educational institutions.
As many as 274 people have been booked in a case of vandalism at the Shalamar Campus of a private college in Lahore.
At least 24 people have been named in the case, while the remaining 250 have been nominated as unidentified individuals, read the first information report (FIR).
According to the FIR, at least 24 of those suspected of being involved in the protest were arrested for vandalism and arson.
It added that the miscreants attacked the police with petrol bombs, while motorcycles of at least six employees were burnt in the attacks by the miscreants.
Speaking on Geo News' programme "Geo Pakistan", Lahore Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Operations Faisal Kamran maintained that the children were being misguided on the matter.
"The children are being misguided by specific [social media] accounts, said the DIG operations, adding that the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) was probing who was operating these pages.
"College students don't want to demonstrate so now protest is being imposed from outside," remarked the police official.
He also claimed that the police had recovered petrol bombs from the students.
Providing details on the incident, the police officer said that they did not have any complainant when the incident was reported and the college administration, when contacted, also denied being aware of any such incident.
The security guard, he added, was traced and brought back from Sargodha who too denied his involvement in the matter.
"We checked the records of all government hospitals in Lahore, while a private hospital was also checked, but we did not find any victim," said the DIG operations.
Speaking on the ongoing investigation, Kamran said that the police had reviewed the video obtained from the college for the last five days which has now been handed over to the forensic team for further investigation which will then analyse and submit a report on it.
Referring to the violent protests CM Maryam, on Wednesday, said that an attempt was made to run a campaign in Punjab by misleading the students on the basis of lies, adding that a very "vile and dangerous plan was made" after the failure of protest, siege, and anarchy.
"I know very well who is behind this incident and will not leave anyone who was involved in this," she stressed.
Her remarks came after a high-level committee, formed by the Punjab government, stated in its report that the girl had not been raped and that she sustained injuries at her home.
The police had also registered a first information report (FIR) at the Defence A Police Station against the spread of misinformation and unverified news on social media.
Taking to social media platform X, CM Maryam said that the alleged individual involved in spreading the "blatant lie" had in fact been arrested.
"This guy who propagated a blatant lie, incited violence & provoked the students has been arrested. As promised, I will not spare anyone who was part of the conspiracy & false propaganda that have gravely affected an innocent girl & her family," said the provincial chief executive.
"Who will compensate for the loss that the child and her family suffered as a result of her name being used to spark unrest," she added while blaming the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) for being responsible for the fake news and propaganda.
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