LPU Phagwara Protest: Video Shows Students Vandalise Campus, Set Property On Fire Over Viral Rape Rumour; Police Deny Claim

Hundreds of students at Lovely Professional University (LPU) in Punjab's Phagwara staged protests late on Sunday over social media rumours alleging that a female student had been sexually assaulted on campus by an outsider. The protest escalated into violence, with students reportedly damaging university property, setting some items on fire and blocking the Jalandhar-Phagwara section of the National Highway.

Police said they have initiated the registration of a First Information Report (FIR) based on statements recorded from students, while heavy security was deployed around the university campus to maintain law and order.

Police initiate FIR registration

Deputy Inspector General (Jalandhar Range) Naveen Singla, who reached the LPU campus to assess the situation, said the students' primary demand was that action be taken over an alleged rape reported to have taken place three days earlier.

According to Singla, students claimed that a girl staying in the G3 hostel had been raped and that no action had been taken. Police recorded their statements and initiated the process of registering an FIR.

Singla said the FIR would initially be registered against an unknown person, as the identity of the alleged victim and other details were still being established.

A Special Investigation Team (SIT), led by Superintendent of Police (Phagwara) Major Singh, has also been constituted to investigate the allegations.

Police say allegations remain unsubstantiated

Senior Superintendent of Police (Kapurthala) Gaurav Toora said the unrest was triggered by an unverified allegation of rape involving a student.

"So far, we have found no substantiating evidence to corroborate the incident," Toora said.

Police are now investigating the allegations and verifying the claims that circulated widely on social media.

LPU denies allegations

LPU has denied the allegations being circulated online.

University Registrar Monica Gulati said there was "no truth" in the rumours and urged students, parents and the public not to believe or amplify unverified information.

The university alleged that "anti-social elements" were spreading false and fabricated information through social media and other channels, creating confusion among students and disrupting the academic environment.

Gulati also said the circulation of the claims appeared to be a deliberate attempt to malign the university and damage its reputation.

Students block highway, property damaged

The protests began on the university campus before escalating, with hundreds of students joining the demonstration. The unrest led to the Jalandhar-Phagwara National Highway being blocked for several hours.

Police said university property was damaged during the protest and some items were set on fire. Students protesting on campus alleged that a sexual assault had taken place and accused the university authorities of refusing to accept their claims.

Some students also alleged that outsiders were involved in the vandalism.

Police deployed additional personnel to the area as authorities worked to restore normalcy and prevent further escalation.

Meeting between students and university management

Police officials said students had several demands apart from the alleged assault case. A meeting between student representatives and the university management was scheduled for noon to discuss their concerns.

Authorities said they had spoken to student leaders and were working to address the situation while the investigation continues.

Second major university protest in Punjab

The LPU incident comes just days after unrest at Chitkara University in Rajpura, Patiala district.

Hundreds of students had protested at the university following unverified social media claims that two female students were missing. The situation escalated into clashes with police, damage to university property and vandalism of two police vehicles.

Both incidents have highlighted how quickly unverified information circulating on social media can trigger large student gatherings and disruption on university campuses.

At LPU, police have now begun the FIR process and constituted an SIT to investigate the allegations. However, the alleged sexual assault remains under investigation, with police stating that they have so far found no substantiating evidence to corroborate the claim, while the university has denied the allegations.

Authorities are continuing to verify the claims and assess the damage caused during the protests.