LPU students vandalised campus property and blocked the Jalandhar–Delhi highway after an unverified rape and suicide claim circulated online. Police found no supporting complaint.
A late-night protest at Lovely Professional University (LPU) in Punjab’s Phagwara area turned violent after an unverified social-media message alleged that a female student had been raped and later died by suicide.
Thousands of students reportedly gathered near a girls’ hostel during the early hours of Sunday, September 27, demanding answers from the university administration. The protest escalated as some participants allegedly damaged campus property, ransacked furniture and set objects on fire.
Students later moved towards the university’s main entrance and blocked the Jalandhar–Delhi National Highway, causing traffic disruption before police intervened.
Viral Message Triggers Protest
The unrest reportedly began after messages circulated through students’ social-media and messaging groups claiming that a female student had been sexually assaulted on campus.
Some versions of the message also alleged that the university had concealed the incident and that the student subsequently died by suicide. Police said they had not received any complaint or found evidence supporting those claims at the time of their preliminary inquiry.
Kapurthala Senior Superintendent of Police Gaurav Toora reached the campus with other senior officers. He said no victim had been identified and no complaint concerning the alleged assault or suicide had been received. The claims should therefore be treated as unverified unless confirmed through an official investigation.
Campus Property Damaged, Fire Reported
Reports from the scene said the demonstration began near the girls’ hostel at around 2 a.m. and involved approximately 2,000 students.
Videos circulating online appeared to show a large crowd protesting inside the campus. Furniture and other university property were allegedly damaged, while isolated fires were reported during the unrest.
Police personnel were deployed to prevent further violence and persuade students to clear the highway. Early reports did not confirm serious injuries.
The protest and highway blockade were independently reported by local media, while NDTV carried video coverage of the overnight unrest.
Traffic Restored After Police Intervention
Punjab Police later persuaded the protesting students to leave the highway. Traffic on the Jalandhar–Delhi route was restored and was reported to be moving normally on Sunday morning.
The situation at the university was brought under control, but authorities were expected to examine CCTV footage and viral social-media posts to determine how the rumour originated and identify those involved in vandalism or arson.
No official announcement regarding arrests or an FIR linked to the campus damage had been confirmed in the latest reports available on Sunday morning.
The incident occurred shortly after a separate rumour-driven protest at Chitkara University near Rajpura, highlighting the risks posed by unverified social-media claims during sensitive campus situations.
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