Students Protest at Punjab University Over Rape Claim; Police Find No Evidence

Students at Lovely Professional University in Phagwara, Punjab, launched violent protests early Sunday over claims that a female student was raped by an outsider in a hostel on September 24. Protesters damaged campus property, vandalised shops and an ATM kiosk, and blocked the Delhi-Amritsar national highway for several hours, causing major traffic disruption.

Police registered a First Information Report against an unknown person and formed a Special Investigation Team. However, Kapurthala Senior Superintendent of Police Gaurav Toora stated that investigators have found no substantiating evidence to corroborate the rape allegation so far. The university administration also denied the claims, calling them baseless rumours.

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

Heavy police contingents from Kapurthala, Jalandhar Rural, and Hoshiarpur were deployed to control the unrest. Videos on social media showed masked individuals vandalising the campus mall and some students climbing onto a displayed military aircraft and tank. Traffic was diverted to alternative routes until the blockade was lifted Sunday afternoon following police intervention and promises of a thorough probe.

Students alleged the hostel warden was informed of the incident three days prior but took no action. Some protesters claimed outsiders infiltrated the campus to instigate the vandalism. The unrest follows a similar protest at Chitkara University in Patiala over unverified allegations.