NCC cadets ‘thrashed’ in Mohali

Akash Ghai

Tribune News Service

Mohali, August 16

The Independence Day celebrations at Government College in Phase VI were marred by alleged thrashing of some NCC cadets by their “so-called mentor/instructor” with a belt immediately after the function got over on Tuesday.

The matter came to light through a video, which has gone viral on the social media. The video shows an angry turbaned youth whipping the NCC cadets, lying prostrate, with a belt. The youth in question has been identified as Gurwinder Singh, a contract employee in the water supply department. He is said to be a former student of the college.

Though the college authorities as well as the victims and the accused today tried to play down the matter, terming it a “non-serious act”, Mohali Deputy Commissioner Gurpreet Kaur Sapra took serious note of the incident.

The Deputy Commissioner has marked an inquiry into the matter to Additional Deputy Commissioner Charandev Singh Mann and has also asked Mohali Senior Superintendent of Police Kuldeep Singh Chahal to investigate the case properly.

College Principal Komal Baroka said the youth, seen carrying a belt in his hand, was a former student of the college. “The so-called victims and the accused were having fun. We have recorded the statements of all of them, including Gurwinder Singh, in which they stated that no thrashing took place,” said the Principal. Asked what the youth was doing in the college, she claimed that he had come to witness the function. 

According to sources, Gurwinder Singh had prepared the cadets for the parade.

The sources said he “thrashed” the cadets for doing some mischief in the NCC uniform.  Gurwinder Singh admitted that he reprimanded them as they were doing pushups in the uniform, but claimed that he did not thrash them. The victims — Amrit, Uttam Rawat, Prince, Satwinder Singh, Divyanshu, Manjit Singh and Ankush Dhiman — supported his claim.