Protests at Lovely Professional University (LPU) in Punjab’s Phagwara escalated into violence, vandalism, arson and a highway blockade after allegations of sexual assault involving a female student began circulating. While students demanded action and a thorough investigation, the alleged sexual assault itself has not been established as fact. Police have registered an FIR and launched an investigation, while LPU has denied that the incident occurred.
How Did the LPU Protests Begin?
According to reports based on a complaint and accounts from protesting students, the alleged incident was said to have taken place around September 23 at Girls’ Hostel-3. Students alleged that an outsider working on the university campus entered a hostel room and sexually assaulted a female student. Reports variously described the person as a plumber, painter or construction worker.
The allegations spread rapidly through student groups and social media. Students also accused the university of failing to respond adequately to their concerns. By the early hours of September 27, a large number of students had gathered near the girls’ hostel, demanding an investigation and action against the person allegedly responsible.
What Has the Police Investigation Found?
Police initially said they had not received a formal complaint and that their preliminary inquiry had not found evidence confirming the alleged assault. A formal complaint was later submitted by a female student, following which Kapurthala police registered an FIR against an unidentified person under Section 64 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which deals with rape.
Importantly, an FIR is a record of an allegation and the beginning of a criminal investigation. It does not establish that an offence actually occurred.
Police subsequently formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the matter. The team is examining CCTV footage, forensic material, phone records and other available evidence.
Questions Surrounding the Alleged Hostel Incident
Police have also raised questions about the location identified in connection with the alleged incident. Officers said that three students staying in the room identified as the alleged location told investigators that no such incident had occurred there.
Police also reportedly said they had not been able to identify the alleged victim from the people present during the protests. However, the investigation remains open, and authorities have not formally concluded that the allegation was false.
As a result, the available information does not establish either that the alleged assault definitely occurred or that it was definitely fabricated.
What Has LPU Said?
LPU has strongly rejected the allegation. University Registrar Monica Gulati described the claims circulating online as false, baseless and fabricated.
The university also released a video featuring three female students who said they had been staying in the room identified in the allegations and that no such incident had taken place there.
The video later became controversial after the students reportedly alleged that they had been instructed about what to say and that the footage had been edited. Those allegations have also not been independently established. Therefore, the video alone cannot conclusively determine whether the original sexual-assault allegation was true or false.
Telangana Student’s Death Becomes Part of the Controversy
Another issue became connected to the protests following the death by suicide of a female student from Telangana.
Social-media posts and some student claims attempted to link her death with the alleged sexual-assault case. Police, however, have said that no such connection has been established.
Authorities have indicated that the student’s death is being examined separately, including through forensic examination of her mobile phone.
This distinction is important because discussions online have often combined the student’s death, the alleged assault and claims of an institutional cover-up into one narrative, even though those connections have not been established by investigators.
How Did the LPU Protests Turn Violent?
While the allegations remain under investigation, the violence during the protests is documented.
Students damaged university property, broke windows and other fixtures, and set objects and vehicles on fire. The protests also spread to NH-44, the major highway connecting Jalandhar and Phagwara, causing major traffic disruption.
The situation escalated further on September 27, when police reported stone-pelting by protesters. A police jeep was set on fire and several other vehicles were damaged. Police personnel were also injured during the clashes.
A large police force was subsequently deployed inside and around the university, followed by a flag march as authorities worked to bring the situation under control.
What Happens Next at LPU?
LPU suspended regular classes for 10 days from September 28, while mid-term examinations were postponed until further notice. Students were also allowed to leave the campus after consulting their parents or guardians.
The investigation into the alleged sexual assault remains ongoing, while authorities are separately examining the violence, arson and property damage linked to the protests.
LPU Protests: What Is Confirmed So Far?
At this stage, the clearest distinction is between verified events and unproven claims.
The protests, property damage, highway blockade, clashes and police action are established developments. An FIR has also been registered and an SIT is investigating the sexual-assault allegation.
However, the alleged sexual assault has not been proven, while LPU’s claim that the allegation was fabricated is also not a final finding by investigators.
The SIT’s examination of CCTV footage, forensic evidence, phone records and other material will be important in determining what can ultimately be established. Until the investigation reaches a conclusion, separating confirmed facts from claims circulating on social media remains crucial.
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