Protests at Lovely Professional University (LPU) in Phagwara, Punjab, have intensified after students raised allegations of a rape on campus. The demonstrations led to clashes with police and a blockade of NH-44, prompting the university to suspend classes as the situation developed.
Here’s a look at why LPU students are protesting and what has unfolded so far.
How Did the LPU Protest Begin?
The unrest started near Girls’ Hostel 3 in the early hours of Sunday, 27 September. Students alleged that a female student had been raped on campus days earlier, with some claiming the hostel warden had been informed but failed to act.
An FIR was subsequently filed at Satnampura police station, based on a student’s statement alleging that a girl had been raped in the girls’ hostel on 23 September and that the administration had attempted to cover up the incident. These remain allegations at this stage and have not been confirmed as fact. The alleged victim is reported to have returned home.
What About the ‘Rape-Suicide’ Claim?
Social media posts attempted to connect the alleged rape to the death of another female student, but police have clarified the two cases should not be conflated.
Jalandhar Range DIG Naveen Singla said a student from Telangana died by suicide roughly 15 days earlier, and that police had already begun inquest proceedings after taking statements from her family. Following student concerns, police said this death would also be examined, though separately. There is, as yet, no confirmed link between the alleged rape and that student’s death.
Why Are LPU Students Protesting?
Students are demanding a thorough investigation into the rape allegation and have questioned how the university handled the matter. Their grievances extend further, touching on hostel safety, with demands that women’s hostels employ only female staff, according to police.
Protesters have also called for senior university officials to meet with them directly and for assurances that no student involved in the demonstrations would face retaliation. Police have said student representatives will be included in the rape investigation.
What Did the LPU Video Show?
As allegations spread, LPU denied that a rape had occurred and released a video featuring three female students from Room 504 of Girls’ Hostel 3, in which they stated nothing had happened in their room and appealed to police and fellow students not to disturb them.
The situation shifted when the same students later claimed they had been coached on what to say in the video and questioned how their statements were subsequently used. The incident has raised broader questions about how institutions should communicate during an ongoing investigation involving allegations of rape and student safety.
What Has LPU Said?
LPU has denied the rape allegations. Registrar Monica Gulati called the claims circulating on social media false, baseless and fabricated, alleging that certain individuals were deliberately spreading misinformation to disrupt the campus atmosphere.
Vice-Chancellor Jaspal Singh Sandhu said the university had no knowledge of such an incident but would cooperate fully with the police investigation. Following the violence, LPU suspended regular classes for 10 days starting 28 September and postponed mid-term exams indefinitely, allowing students to return home with parental or guardian consent.
The demonstrations soon expanded beyond the original allegations. Protesters blocked NH-44, disrupting traffic between Jalandhar and Phagwara, before clashes erupted with police.
Authorities said stones were thrown, vehicles damaged, and some set on fire, with campus property also affected and several police personnel injured. More than 2,000 police personnel were deployed to restore order, and officials later confirmed the situation had been brought under control with traffic flow resumed.
Police Investigation Related to LPU Case
Police have registered an FIR against an unidentified person and formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT). The probe is expected to review CCTV footage, forensic evidence and call records before drawing conclusions, with student representatives participating in the process.
Separately, police are looking into student concerns surrounding the earlier death of the Telangana student. As things stand, multiple distinct questions are under investigation rather than a single, confirmed chain of events.
DW has reported that the university has been closed for a period of 10 days following the violence.