Unverified rape report, then mayhem: Protests turn violent at Punjab's LPU

Several Lovely Professional University students protested after unverified social media claims surfaced that a female student had allegedly been gangraped or had died by suicide on campus, allegations denied by police. The rumours sparked unrest, with students vandalising university property and setting parts of the building on fire.

In Short

• Rumours surfaced over LPU female student being raped or dying by suicide
• Students blocked highway for hours, vandalised, set parts of building on fire
• Cops link rumours to misunderstanding between students and administration

Tension gripped Lovely Professional University (LPU) in Punjab late on Saturday after students vandalised university property and set parts of buildings on fire following unverified claims that a female student had been gangraped or had died by suicide. Police said the claims appeared to have stemmed from a misunderstanding, while the university dismissed the allegations as “false, baseless and fabricated”.

Around 2,000 students gathered near the girls' hostel after rumours spread on social media and across the campus in Phagwara. The protest escalated as students blocked a highway and brought traffic to a halt before going on a rampage inside the university. They smashed window panes, threw bricks and flower pots and set parts of university buildings on fire. A viral video showed the university in flames and a person atop a replica of a fighter jet amid the protest.

Police said a woman had died by suicide four to five days ago near the campus's agriculture department, and a video of the same had gone viral. But, they said there was no complaint linking her death to the rape allegations circulating among students.

Police reached the spot and cleared the highway, which has since been reopened. The situation was brought under control, while talks are underway between the students and the university administration, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Kapurthala Gaurav Toora said.

SSP Toora said the suicide video circulating on social media is a old one believed to be from August 11. "An investigation is underway into the matter," he said.

A case has been registered against unknown persons based on the statements, the SSP said. A Special Investigative Team (SIT) has been formed to probe the chaos.

NO COMPLAINT ABOUT GANG-RAPE, SAY COPS

Police said a girl had died by suicide four to five days ago in the vicinity of the campus's agriculture department, but said there was no complaint linking that death to the rape allegations now being circulated among students.

“The students claim that there was a woman who was raped. We don't have a complaint about the girl,” SSP Toora said. He said the identity of the woman and the purported perpetrator had not been established.

“Some students claimed a girl student died by suicide, while some claimed that the student was raped. This has led to unrest among students against the LPU administration. So far, we have found no substantiating evidence to corroborate the incident, and no complaint has been received by us,” the SSP said.

Some social media posts had also accused a worker of involvement in the purported incident. Police have not confirmed the allegation.

The protest, which began near the girls' hostel, escalated into vandalism, with students damaging university property and laying siege to the highway, SSP Toora said. The highway has since been reopened and traffic restored, he further said.

LPU CALLS CLAIMS ‘FALSE AND FABRICATED’

LPU strongly rejected the allegations, saying “anti-social elements” were spreading false information through social media and other channels to create confusion among students and disturb the campus environment.

“The university categorically clarifies that there is no truth in the rumours presently being circulated,” LPU Registrar Dr Monica Gulati said in a statement.

Gulati said the circulation of the claims appeared to be a “deliberate and concerted attempt” to malign its reputation and urged students, parents and the public not to believe, circulate or amplify the rumours.

It asked students and others to rely only on information communicated through the university's official channels.

Police and university authorities are continuing talks with students as efforts continue to defuse tensions on the campus.

SIMILAR INCIDENT AT CHITKARA UNIVERSITY

The LPU unrest came a day after a similar episode at Chitkara University in Banur near Patiala, where unverified social media rumours about two missing female students and an alleged suicide triggered protests and clashes with police.

At the university, students also circulated claims that a female student had died by suicide and that her “ghost” was haunting hostel residents. The university and police rejected the claims, saying no such death had been reported.

Police said students who raised the missing-person claims could not provide the names or identities of the alleged missing girls, and authorities began verification. The unrest later turned violent, with protesters damaging police vehicles and campus property.

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