LPU Protests: Rape Allegation Triggers Unrest, Classes Suspended as Police Investigate

Yugcharan News / 29-09-2026

A rape allegation involving a female student at Lovely Professional University (LPU) in Punjab has triggered widespread protests, violence and disruption on the campus, prompting the university to suspend classes for 10 days and postpone examinations. Police have registered a rape case against an unidentified person, but investigators have said they have not yet been able to verify whether the alleged assault took place.

The situation unfolded at the university's large campus in Phagwara after messages about an alleged rape began circulating among students through WhatsApp groups. The university has denied the allegation, describing claims circulating on social media as false and baseless. Police, meanwhile, say no student has come forward identifying herself as the alleged victim, while investigators have so far not identified either the alleged victim or the person accused of the assault.

The case has since developed into a wider dispute involving concerns over campus security, allegations about the university's response, the presence of outsiders during the protests and violence that damaged property and injured police personnel.

How the protests began

According to the report, unrest began in the early hours of September 27 after rumours spread that a female student had allegedly been raped in or near one of the university's hostels several days earlier.

Different versions of the allegation circulated among students and in media reports. The alleged suspect was variously described as a plumber, painter or construction worker. Some students claimed the incident had occurred on September 23 and alleged that university authorities had been informed but had failed to take action. These claims remain part of the allegations surrounding the incident and have not been established by the investigation.

As messages spread through student WhatsApp groups, crowds gathered on the campus. Hundreds of protesters eventually moved onto National Highway 44, a major road connecting Delhi and Punjab, blocking traffic for more than 15 hours.

The protests later turned violent, with university property damaged, objects set on fire and stones thrown at police vehicles. Images and videos showed vehicles burning and large crowds on the highway. Police personnel were injured and parts of the campus were vandalised. Police later denied that they had carried out a baton charge, although videos showed officers using canes while dealing with protesters.

Students describe a night of fear

The unrest also left students inside the university's hostels frightened and uncertain about their safety.

One student, identified by the BBC as Arya, said students locked themselves inside their rooms during the night and kept knives and scissors with them because they were afraid. She said students were focused on getting through the night and leaving the campus safely.

Police subsequently arrived at the university and students said their presence made them feel safer. By the following day, however, many students wanted to leave, with parents also asking them to return home.

The university later allowed students to return home after consulting their parents or guardians. Those who remained on campus were advised to stay inside their residences and avoid further unrest.

Why did police register a rape case?

Police registration of a formal case became one of the main demands raised by protesting students.

Senior police official Naveen Singla said students had been demanding registration of an FIR but had not been able to provide the name of a victim. Despite that, police registered a case under India's rape law against an unidentified person so that the allegation could be formally investigated.

The registration of an FIR does not itself establish that a crime occurred. It records an allegation and allows investigators to conduct a formal investigation.

Police have begun examining CCTV footage from the extensive university campus. Investigators said their preliminary examination had not found evidence of an outsider entering a room in the locations identified by students. However, officials stressed that the review was not complete because of the size of the campus and the large number of cameras.

Police officials said they were continuing to examine the available footage and investigate the allegations.

A seven-member special investigation team (SIT) has also been formed to investigate the case.

Questions over outsiders and violence

As the protests expanded, uncertainty also emerged over who had participated in the violence.

Some students said the demonstrations had initially been peaceful and alleged that outsiders were responsible for at least part of the subsequent violence. Other students told the BBC that they had seen masked or unfamiliar people on campus.

Police have confirmed that outsiders were present among the crowds but said investigators were still trying to determine their identities and establish what role they played in the unrest.

One student, Aniket Singh, also alleged that outsiders had entered a women's hostel and knocked on doors while claiming to be police officers. That allegation is part of the wider investigation into the events surrounding the protests.

Controversy over university video

The university's efforts to counter the rape allegation also became a separate source of controversy.

LPU released a video showing three women living in the hostel room that had been associated with the alleged assault. In the video, the students said that nothing had happened in the room and appealed to people to stop disturbing them.

The students later appeared in another video in which they alleged that university officials had instructed them about what to say, edited the recording and uploaded it without their consent. These allegations have not been independently verified, and the university had not commented on them at the time of the report.

Another claim circulating during the unrest attempted to link the alleged rape with the recent death by suicide of a female LPU student from Telangana. Police said an investigation into that death was already underway and that there was no verified evidence connecting the two cases.

Classes suspended, exams postponed

The continuing uncertainty has significantly disrupted academic activity at the university.

LPU suspended regular classes for 10 days and postponed examinations following the unrest. Students were asked to return home after consulting their parents or guardians, while those who stayed were advised to remain in their residences and avoid further disturbances.

The Punjab State Women's Commission has also sought information from authorities, including a copy of the FIR, details of the investigation and information about measures being taken to ensure the safety of students.

The campus has remained under a heavy police presence following the violence.

Two investigations now underway

The events have left investigators with two major questions to answer: whether there is evidence to establish the alleged sexual assault that triggered the protests, and who was responsible for the violence and damage that followed.

University authorities have continued to deny the rape allegation. LPU Pro-Chancellor Rashmi Mittal said she was hurt that students had relied on a rumour despite the university having channels through which concerns could be raised. She also alleged that outsiders had joined the unrest.

For now, police have not established that the alleged rape occurred. The investigation remains ongoing, with CCTV footage still being examined and the identities of the alleged victim and perpetrator yet to be established, according to the report.

The developments at LPU underline how quickly an unverified allegation circulating through social media and private messaging groups can escalate into a major campus crisis. Until investigators establish the facts, the rape allegation, claims concerning outsiders and allegations surrounding the university's handling of the incident remain matters under investigation rather than established findings.