Lovely Professional University Students Protest Over Rape Rumors
- Students at Lovely Professional University in Punjab’s Phagwara damaged property and blocked the Jalandhar-Phagwara national highway early Sunday following unverified social media reports claiming a female student had...
- The protests erupted near the university’s girls’ hostel at around 1 a.m.
- Circulated videos showed large groups of students smashing window panes, destroying earthen flower pots, setting objects on fire, and vandalizing shops inside the university mall and an ATM...
Students at Lovely Professional University in Punjab’s Phagwara damaged property and blocked the Jalandhar-Phagwara national highway early Sunday following unverified social media reports claiming a female student had been raped. Police said they had no information of any such crime.
Midnight Unrest Erupts Across Phagwara Campus
Hostel Tension Sparks Highway Blockade
The protests erupted near the university’s girls’ hostel at around 1 a.m. on Sunday. Students claimed that a female resident of the GH-3 hostel had been raped by a plumber three days prior and that the hostel warden failed to act when informed.
Circulated videos showed large groups of students smashing window panes, destroying earthen flower pots, setting objects on fire, and vandalizing shops inside the university mall and an ATM kiosk. Demonstrators subsequently blocked the Jalandhar-Phagwara national highway, causing traffic snarls and stranding commuters as traffic was diverted to alternate routes.
Law Enforcement and Special Investigation
Kapurthala Senior Superintendent of Police Gaurav Toora stated that police received word of students gathering on campus at 1:45 a.m. on Sunday.
When we reached here, we came to know that there were rumours. Because of the rumours, students gathered here.
Gaurav Toora, Senior Superintendent of Police, Kapurthala
Following the escalation, police mobilized a heavy force from Kapurthala, Jalandhar Rural, and Hoshiarpur. Jalandhar Range Deputy Inspector General of Police Naveen Singla arrived at the scene to address the crowd alongside other senior officials. DIG Singla announced that an FIR has been registered and a special investigation team formed to probe the allegations scientifically using forensic, CCTV, and phone analysis in coordination with student representatives.
Administrative Concessions and Wider Unrest
Lovely Professional University stated that there was no truth to the rumours, while Vice-Chancellor Jaspal Singh confirmed that university authorities would fully cooperate in the matter. Police noted that students also raised administrative grievances, including a demand that the entire hostel staff should comprise only women, which management agreed to address.
The unrest at Lovely Professional University followed a protest a day earlier at Chitkara University in Patiala. Students there demonstrated and damaged a police vehicle after unverified social media claims surfaced regarding the alleged suicides of two female students on that campus.