Punjab Group of Colleges student Kinza Saleem allegedly passed away in a tragic accident, sparking students protest!
Students and college authorities stood up for Kinza Saleem after she was admitted to the ICU following a horrifying accident on college grounds. Unfortunately, the first-year student allegedly passed away surrounded by her family, who have been demanding justice from the Punjab State Police.
The students at Punjab Group of Colleges (PGC), Lahore, initially reported the unacceptable harassment of a female student. The authorities didn’t reveal their identity immediately for privacy reasons since the case was still under investigation.
However, the college’s spokesperson claimed that the unregistered complaint going around social media might be an attempt to damage the college’s reputation. They requested the public to refrain from commenting on the accident.
Meanwhile, the authorities detained the college’s security guard, Aun, in connection to the case as he had a history of inappropriate behaviors against other female staff in the institution. Moreover, the guard didn’t admit the alleged crimes and is still in Punjab State custody.
As the investigations proceeded, the victim’s name and pictures appeared on social media. Kinza Saleem came from a small neighborhood in Lahore and excelled in studies and extracurricular activities at PGC before her accident.
Further, unconfirmed news sources reported that one of the students discovered Saleem after the convict had molested her. She required emergency medical treatment, and the students took her to the nearest hospital, where she passed away shortly after.
Sources claimed that someone had poisoned her before the accident, enabling the convict to commit the act. However, the authorities have not confirmed this information.
Authorities await action as Kinza Saleem’s family hasn’t registered an FIR for the accident!
After the media covered Saleem’s news, authorities quickly formed a special team to investigate further as unconfirmed reports piled up. DIG Kamran mentioned that the victim’s closest family members haven’t filed a complaint.
Additionally, the authorities mentioned that the relevant police station, police helpline, and college administration had not received any report of the incident before the spark among students.
With the investigation underway, the police added, “The suspect is being interrogated to verify the social media news. However, despite the incident going viral on social media, no evidence has yet emerged regarding the incident.“
During a public address from the DIG, the Punjab government stated that it has a zero-tolerance policy against violent crimes. Following student backlash and their protest on October 14, the college administration cooperated with the police.
However, the protest turned physical as the students clashed with the college security team. During the clash, the rescue personnel immediately provided first aid to the 27 injured people before transferring them to the Services Hospital Lahore.
On the other hand, the authorities gathered evidence for the case but failed to confirm the incident, even after checking all the hospital records and college CCTV footage.
Further, speculations arose that the college administration had been working behind the curtains to tamper with the evidence despite cooperating with the police. The Punjab education minister, Rana Sikandar Hayat, spoke on the matter and assured justice for the victim.
In his public statement, Hayat mentioned, “We will take action against the principal and the college administration if allegations related to the deletion of pictures and video evidence are proved. And if it comes to sealing the college, we will not hesitate.“
Additional Information
- Due to the ongoing investigation into Saleem’s accident, the Punjab Group of Colleges has postponed classes and college registration until further notice.
- National reports indicate that in 2023, kidnappers abducted up to 626 women, perpetrators executed 120 in the name of honor, and traffickers sold 20. Such incidents mostly happen in Lahore, Faisalabad, and Rahim Yar Khan
