- LPU students violently protested alleged rape incident on Sunday.
- University denied claims; police formed SIT to investigate.
- Protesters blocked highway, clashed with police, damaged property.
Students of Lovely Professional University (LPU) in Punjab’s Phagwara staged a massive protest on Sunday, with the agitation turning violent as protesters allegedly vandalised campus property, blocked NH-44 and clashed with police over an alleged rape claim involving a female student.
The violence erupted after an overnight protest on the campus. Police said several personnel were injured after protesters allegedly pelted stones and attacked police vehicles when officers tried to clear the highway blockade.
Two vehicles were allegedly set on fire, while four to five police vehicles were damaged, Jalandhar Rural SSP Harvinder Singh Virk said. Police resorted to a mild lathi charge to disperse the protesters.
#WATCH | Phagwara, Punjab: Visuals from outside Lovely Professional University, where the protest by students turned violent.
Students clashed with police and set vehicles on fire. https://t.co/ErVJk1Dryj pic.twitter.com/kTU76p703b
— ANI (@ANI) September 27, 2026
Protest Over Alleged Rape Claim
The protest began near Girls’ Hostel-3 around 1 am on Sunday after some students alleged that a female student had been raped by a plumber three days earlier. They also claimed that the hostel warden had been informed but no action was taken.
The university, however, denied that any such incident had taken place on campus and described the allegations as “false, baseless and fabricated”.
LPU Registrar Monica Gulati said certain anti-social elements were spreading rumours and attempting to disturb the university’s academic environment.
The university also released a video statement featuring three female students from Room No. 504 of Girls’ Hostel-3, who said no rape incident had taken place and that they had been staying there for around two months.
FIR Registered, SIT Formed
Police said an FIR has been registered against an unknown person based on the students’ complaint. A special investigation team (SIT) has also been formed to probe the allegation.
DIG (Jalandhar Range) Naveen Singla said the investigation would include forensic samples, CCTV footage and call records before any conclusion is reached.
“The students have said that the victim girl, who was staying in Hostel No. 3, returned to her house after no action was taken,” Singla said.
He added that the investigation would also take into account other grievances raised by the protesters.
NH-44 Blockade Causes Traffic Chaos
The students blocked a stretch of the Delhi-Amritsar National Highway-44 outside the university from around 8 am, triggering long traffic queues.
Traffic was diverted through the Phagwara-Jandiala road towards Jalandhar and other arterial routes as the blockade continued into Sunday evening.
#WATCH | Phagwara, Punjab: Students block the national highway, followed by a protest outside Lovely Professional University (LPU). https://t.co/IEWXNrr3Rz pic.twitter.com/EKJZCjygAr
— ANI (@ANI) September 27, 2026
Several commuters were seen stranded on the highway, with some urging protesters to clear the road.
Police Face Stone Pelting, Vehicles Damaged
The situation escalated around 7.30 pm when police attempted to persuade the protesters to lift the blockade. Officials said the protesters responded by allegedly hurling bottles at the police.
The protesters then allegedly pelted stones and attacked police vehicles, prompting a mild lathi charge. Several police personnel were injured, officials said.
A heavy police force was subsequently deployed from Kapurthala, Jalandhar Rural and Hoshiarpur.
Videos circulating on social media showed protesters allegedly damaging window panes, flower pots, shops and other property on the campus. Some protesters were also seen climbing onto a decommissioned MiG-23UM aircraft and a military tank installed on the university premises.
Students, LPU Management Hold Talks
Several rounds of talks between the students and LPU management remained inconclusive.
Vice Chancellor Jaspal Singh Sandhu assured the protesters that their genuine grievances would be addressed. The students, however, demanded that LPU Founder-Chancellor Ashok Mittal visit the protest site and give them assurances.
They also demanded that access to the University Management System, which provides access to university activities, should not be blocked and that students should not face action over the protest.
Students also demanded that the entire hostel staff comprise women, PTI reported.
Police Say Other Issues Will Also Be Examined
DIG Singla said the students had raised several other demands that would be discussed with the university management.
He also said a female student from Telangana studying at LPU had died by suicide around 15 days ago. Asked about students’ claims of possible foul play, Singla said appropriate action would be taken if evidence emerged.
LPU Vice Chancellor Sandhu said the university was not aware of any rape incident and would cooperate fully with the police investigation.
Kapurthala SSP Gaurav Toora said police had spoken to the students and were working with the university administration to resolve their grievances.
The university urged students, parents and members of the public not to circulate or amplify unverified claims and said official channels should be relied upon for information.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: abplive.com
