LPU Students Vandalize Campus and Block Highway Over Rape Rumor

Students at Lovely Professional University in Punjab vandalized campus property and blocked a national highway late Saturday following unverified social media claims alleging a female student was raped, prompting police to deploy forces across three districts and register an FIR.

Unrest Erupts Across Campus and National Highway

Protests at Lovely Professional University escalated late Saturday night and continued into the morning after unverified claims spread on social media regarding a female student in a hostel. Roughly 2,000 students gathered near the girls’ hostel in Phagwara as various accounts of an alleged assault circulated through WhatsApp groups and digital platforms. One demonstrator claimed that a campus construction worker assaulted a female student, after which university administration allegedly sent her away from the campus.

The demonstrations quickly turned destructive as protesters damaged property on the campus, smashing window panes, hurling bricks and flower pots, and setting several objects and parts of university buildings on fire. Footage posted online captured Lovely Professional University (LPU) attendees smashing glass windows, breaking flower pots, and igniting various items. Participants moved through the university mall area before spilling out onto the tarmac. Protesters blocked the Jalandhar-Phagwara national highway around 2 a.m. to 4 a.m., halting traffic on the busy corridor and raising slogans demanding justice.

Police Response and Scientific Investigation

Law enforcement officials from Jalandhar Rural, Hoshiarpur, and Kapurthala districts deployed to the university after receiving reports of a major law-and-order breakdown. Kapurthala Senior Superintendent of Police Gaurav Toora and Jalandhar Range Deputy Inspector General Naveen Singla arrived at the scene to negotiate with student groups and clear the highway. Forces originating from Jalandhar Rural, Hoshiarpur, and Kapurthala were brought in, according to Kapurthala Senior Superintendent of Police Gaurav Toora.

Police officials confirmed that no formal complaint had been received from any individual regarding the alleged rape before the unrest began. However, based on formal statements submitted by student leaders, authorities initiated legal proceedings. In the wake of the demonstrations, law enforcement filed an FIR accusing unidentified individuals of rape using statements provided by students, though the identity of the victim remains unknown.

Naveen Singla, DIG, Jalandhar Range

DIG Singla stated that the complaint alleged a student residing in the G3 hostel was assaulted roughly three days prior. Investigators plan to form a special investigation team and utilize forensic analysis, CCTV footage reviews, and phone data examination alongside student representatives. Naveen Singla, DIG for the Jalandhar Range, announced that authorities had initiated procedures to file an FIR against an unknown party based on protesters’ claims, mentioning further that the investigation will involve forensic evaluations and examinations, alongside a scheduled 12 pm meeting between student leaders and LPU management to settle student grievances.

University Denials and Separating Fact From Rumour

University administrators forcefully rejected the allegations and categorized the claims as false, baseless, and misleading by mischievous outside sources aiming to damage the institution’s reputation. Meanwhile, Lovely Professional University released a statement to the media, while police said no complaint related to such an incident had been received in recent days, and the university dismissed the claims as false and misleading.

Police also addressed separate rumours regarding a student suicide on campus, confirming that a woman had died by suicide four to five days earlier near the university’s agriculture department. Officials clarified that preliminary checks found no complaint or evidence linking that death to the viral rape allegations.

Broader Student Grievances and Ongoing Talks

Beyond the viral allegations, law enforcement officers found that students harbored wider frustrations regarding administrative issues concerning the boys’ and girls’ hostels. SSP Toora noted that students felt their everyday grievances were not being addressed properly by the administration.

Punjab University Students Vandalise Campus, Block Highway Over 'Rape' Rumour | NTV Telugu

The outbreak at LPU closely mirrored a separate student demonstration at Chitkara University in Patiala, where unverified social media posts about two missing or deceased students similarly sparked campus unrest and property damage.

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