LPU protest: Police form SIT to probe alleged sexual assault complaint

Hundreds of students protested at Lovely Professional University in Punjab’s Jalandhar after unverified social media claims of a sexual assault. Police initiated the FIR process, formed an SIT and deployed security, while the university denied the allegations and urged students to rely on official information

Chandigarh: Hundreds of students at Lovely Professional University (LPU) on the outskirts of Punjab’s Jalandhar protested late on Sunday over social media rumours that a student had been sexually assaulted on campus by an outsider, damaging property, setting items on fire and blocking a national highway, officials and students said.

Police said they had initiated the process of registering an FIR based on statements from students, while heavy security was deployed to maintain law and order.

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The unrest at LPU resulted in protesters blocking the Jalandhar-Phagwara section of the National Highway for several hours. Property on the university campus was also damaged and some items were set on fire, police said.

Deputy Inspector General (Jalandhar Range) Naveen Singla, who reached the LPU campus to review the situation, said the students’ primary demand was an investigation into an alleged sexual assault of a student from the G3 hostel.

“Their primary demand is that three days ago a girl from the G3 hostel was raped, and no action had been taken regarding this until now. We have recorded their statement and initiated the registration of an FIR, and they will receive a copy shortly,” he told the media.

Singla said the students had other demands as well, and a meeting between the university management and students was scheduled for noon.

“We have spoken to student leaders, and the meeting will take place at noon. As for the FIR, it will be registered,” he said.

Singla clarified that the complaint alleged that a girl residing at the hostel had been raped and that an FIR was being registered against an unknown person for now. He said the identity of the alleged survivor was unclear and would form part of the investigation.

He said a Special Investigation Team (SIT), led by Superintendent of Police (Phagwara) Major Singh, had been constituted to investigate the case.

Senior Superintendent of Police (Kapurthala) Gaurav Toora said an unverified allegation of rape involving a student had led to the unrest.

“So far, we have found no substantiating evidence to corroborate the incident,” he told the media.

The LPU, however, denied the allegations circulating on social media. “There is no truth in the rumours currently being circulated,” LPU Registrar Monica Gulati said in a statement.

She urged students, parents and the public not to believe or amplify the rumours and to rely on information issued through official university channels.

Gulati said the university had learnt that what she described as “anti-social elements” were spreading false and fabricated information through social media and other channels, creating confusion among students and disrupting the academic environment.

She said the circulation of the information appeared to be a deliberate attempt to malign the university and tarnish its reputation.

Students protesting on campus alleged that a sexual assault had taken place and accused university authorities of refusing to accept their complaint. They also alleged that outsiders were involved in the vandalism.

The incident was the second major student protest at a private university in Punjab in the last two days, following unrest at Chitkara University in Rajpura in Patiala district.

Hundreds of students protested at Chitkara University late Friday and early Saturday after unverified social media rumours claimed that two female students were missing. The unrest escalated into clashes with police, vandalism of two police vehicles and property damage on the campus.

Both incidents underscore how unverified information circulating online can quickly trigger large student gatherings and disruption at university campuses. Authorities at both universities were continuing to assess the situations and verify the claims circulating on social media.