What happened at Panjab University? PhD scholar`s electrocution death triggers campus-wide protest

A 28-year-old PhD scholar died after being electrocuted on the Panjab University campus on Tuesday morning, triggering angry protests by students who stormed the administrative block and gathered outside the Vice-Chancellor's residence demanding accountability. The scholar, identified as Jyoti, a resident of Rewari in Haryana who was pursuing her doctorate in the Microbiology (also reported by some outlets as Biotechnology) department, was walking from Girls' Hostel No. 10 towards her department for classes when the incident occurred at the university's South Campus in Sector 25. Heavy overnight rain had left large parts of the campus waterlogged, and Jyoti reportedly took an unpaved stretch connecting Girls' Hostel No. 8 and the University Institute of Engineering and Technology (UIET) to avoid the flooded main path. Within seconds of stepping onto the stretch, she is said to have come into contact with a live electric current, possibly from a nearby pole, an electric junction box, or exposed wiring in the waterlogged area and collapsed on the spot. Bystanders rushed to help and attempted to revive her before she was taken to a nearby hospital (reported variously as GMCH-16 and GMCH Sector 32). Doctors declared her dead on arrival. The exact source of the current has not yet been officially confirmed. Police have sent the body for a post-mortem examination, and the precise cause of death is expected to be established once the report comes in. Some student leaders have alleged that the same spot had caused another student to receive a shock earlier the same day, raising questions about whether the hazard had gone unaddressed despite prior warning signs. News of Jyoti's death spread quickly across the campus, sparking outrage among students. Protesters broke through barricades and entered the administrative office premises, chanting slogans against the university administration. A separate group later marched to and scaled the gate of the Vice-Chancellor's residence, prompting Chandigarh Police to deploy personnel to control the situation. A delegation of student leaders, including the vice-president of the Panjab University Campus Students' Union (PUCSU), met Vice-Chancellor Prof. Renu Vig to press their demands. These included: The immediate suspension or resignation of the Executive Engineer (XEN) and other officials responsible for campus electrical infrastructure A high-level, time-bound investigation into the incident A comprehensive safety audit of electric poles, streetlights, junction boxes and exposed wiring across the campus, particularly ahead of the monsoon season Students have pointed to poor maintenance of campus infrastructure, particularly unpaved paths that flood during rain and ageing electrical fittings — as a long-standing safety concern that the administration had failed to act on. They are demanding that inspections be made routine rather than reactive, so that hazards are identified and fixed before accidents occur rather than after. The university administration has said the matter is being investigated jointly by Chandigarh Police and campus authorities to determine the exact source of the current and whether negligence was involved. As of Tuesday, tensions on campus remained high, with students continuing to demand a transparent probe and concrete safety measures. Stay informed on all the latest news, real-time breaking news updates, and follow all the important headlines in india news and world news on Zee News.