Police and Students Clash at Lovely Professional University as Protests Turn Violent in Punjab
Violent protests at Lovely Professional University (LPU) in Phagwara, Punjab, have left the campus under heavy police security after student demonstrations over an unverified allegation of sexual assault escalated into clashes, arson, vandalism and a prolonged blockade of National Highway-44. The unrest began in the early hours of September 27 and intensified over the following day as large numbers of students gathered around the university’s girls’ hostels and later moved toward the main highway.
The immediate trigger was a series of social-media messages alleging that a female student had been raped inside a hostel by an outsider. Students also raised questions about the death of a 21-year-old student from Telangana who died after falling from a hostel building on September 10. Police have stressed that the allegations surrounding the reported sexual assault and the circumstances of the student’s death remain under investigation and have not been conclusively established.
Punjab Police registered an FIR against an unidentified person concerning the alleged sexual-assault claim and formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT). Investigators said they would examine forensic evidence, CCTV recordings and call records before reaching conclusions. LPU, meanwhile, has denied that a rape occurred on campus and described the allegations circulating online as false and unverified.
The demonstrations subsequently became violent. Property inside the university was damaged, objects were set on fire and several vehicles were vandalised. Protesters also blocked NH-44, the major road connecting Jalandhar and Phagwara, with the blockade lasting for more than 15 hours before traffic was restored. Reports also said three police vehicles were set on fire during the unrest.
The confrontation between protesters and police intensified on Sunday evening after authorities attempted to clear the highway blockade. Police said stones were thrown at personnel, after which a lathi charge was used. Police subsequently moved into the campus as the situation deteriorated, while additional forces were deployed from several districts. More than 2,000 security personnel were reportedly deployed during the operation to restore order.
Punjab DGP Gaurav Yadav said police initially sought to exercise restraint because many of the protesters were students. He said officers attempted to address student grievances through discussions before the situation escalated, while also warning that people responsible for vandalism would face legal action based on evidence collected during the investigation.
Questions have also emerged over whether people from outside the university participated in the violence. Police are examining CCTV footage and other material to establish who was involved. Separately, Punjab Police clarified that individuals seen carrying walkie-talkies on the campus were Indian Army personnel who had come to collect the child of an Army officer, rather than unidentified outsiders involved in the unrest.
The university has now suspended regular classes for 10 days and postponed mid-term examinations. Large numbers of students have left the campus for their hometowns, with parents travelling to Phagwara to collect their children. Reports said students from several southern states expressed concerns about their safety following the violence.
The university has urged students to remain calm and verify information before acting on social-media messages. Pro Chancellor Dr Rashmi Mittal said students have established channels for raising grievances with university authorities and appealed against reacting to unverified information circulating online.
By September 29, an uneasy calm had returned to the LPU campus, with a large police presence and students continuing to leave. The damaged campus remains the visible aftermath of the unrest, while the SIT investigation is expected to determine the facts behind the original allegations as well as identify those responsible for violence, arson and property damage.
The episode has also prompted wider scrutiny of how quickly unverified claims can spread through student networks and social media, particularly when allegations involve hostel safety. The Punjab Police is separately examining similarities between the LPU unrest and an earlier protest at Chitkara University, where unverified social-media claims also preceded student mobilisation and violence.
