Blame game on over setting up of stalls

Air Rifle incident

A week after a 25-year old student, Waris Sandhu, was injured by the pellet fired from an air rifle at the Guru Nanak Dev University (GNDU) campus during the Diwali fest, the security department of the university organised a meeting with the victim and other parties concerned, including Head of the Mathematics Department, Prof Jatinder Singh, members of the student organising committee and the victim's father, Raminderjit Singh.

Waris Sandhu is a student of Diet and Nutrition at the Department of Lifelong Learning. The security head of the university, Harvinder Singh, led the meeting.

The incident took place at 3:30 pm on October 15 when Waris Sandhu was passing through the parking lot of the Mathematics Department, where stalls were set up for hitting balloons with an air rifle during the department fest. He was hit in the face by the pellet fired from an air gun, in which he sustained serious injury and was rushed to the campus clinic in an auto-rickshaw by a friend. The pellet which had got stuck in his upper lip was removed at the hospital.

Head of the Mathematics Department, Prof Jatinder Singh, denied having knowledge of any such stall being set by the students, while admitting to being present at the event. He along with the security head also stated that for any such festival, "We aren't aware what stalls have to be set up, only what the event is about." While the officials concerned shifted the blame for the incident on the students organising the fest, the students claimed that the stall was approved and inspected by the Head of Mathematics Department and some security officials. "If we put up this stall, it was only after permission from the head of the department and the security. It was also inspected by the university officials before the event commenced. If it was unsafe for any reason, the final inspection team should have pointed it out," said one of the students in the organising committee.

Meanwhile, campus security head Harvinder Singh, said, "We have today listened to all the individuals concerned. The security team was aware about the event and usually one or more security personnel are present at any event or festival being organised inside the campus. We will send a report and matter will now be referred to the Dean Students Welfare for any proposed action," he said.

Meanwhile, Dean Students Welfare, GNDU, Prof HS Saini, said that he is yet to receive the report and action will be taken accordingly.

Waris Sandhu, however, has not been able to eat or drink properly since the incident. "I am not satisfied with the way the matter is being handled. The officials concerned have been changing their statements ever since I reported the incident. It's not possible for the students to install any stall they want without permission. What if the pellet had hit me in the eye or had entered my windpipe? It was my friend who helped me. There was no first aid around," said Waris Sandhu, adding that "those who approved and inspected this stall should be held responsible."