Clash in Pakistan's Punjab varsity over Holi celebrations, 15 Hindu students injured; video surfaces

Lahore: As many as 15 students of Pakistan's minority Hindu community sustained injuries on Monday after members of a radical Islamic student organisation allegedly stopped them from celebrating Holi in premises of Punjab University in Lahore.

The incident, according to news agency PTI, happened at Law College of the varsity when nearly 30 students had gathered to celebrate the festival of colours.

Eyewitness says IJT students forcibly stopped celebrations

Kashif Brohi, a university student and eyewitness to the incident was quoted by PTI saying that the students had gathered in the lawns of the college when the Islami Jamiat Tulba activists forcibly stopped them from celebrating the festival leading to the clash which injured 15 students.

Brohi added that the students had prior permission from the university administration to celebrate Holi.

Student, who suffered injuries, says FIR yet to be filed

Meanwhile, a student who suffered injuries on his hand, Khet Kumar, said that the varsity guards beat them when they held a demonstration outside the Vice-Chancellor's office to protest the treatment they were meted out by IJT members.

He told that they have filed an application with the police against the IJT and the security guards involved in thrashing and torturing them but FIR has not been registered yet.

IJT denies involvement

When the news agency reached out to IJT varsity spokesperson Ibrahim Shahid denied the involvement of its students in the incident. "None of the students involved in a brawl with the Hindu students belong to the IJT," he said and added the IJT organised 'Quran Reading' at the law college.

Punjab University spokesperson says students had no permission for celebrations in lawns of college

Punjab University spokesman Khurram Shahzad told PTI that the varsity administration had not given permission to the hold Holi celebrations at the lawns of the law college.

"There would not have been any problem had the celebrations were observed indoors," he said. Shahzad added the V-C has ordered inquiry into the matter.