LPU Phagwara Protest: Video Shows Students Vandalise Campus, Set Property On Fire Over Viral Rape Rumour; Police Deny Claim

A tense situation unfolded at Lovely Professional University (LPU) in Phagwara, Punjab, on Saturday night after an unverified message alleging that a female student had been raped spread across several WhatsApp groups and social media platforms.

The reports caused protests on the university campus, with a large number of students gathering and raising slogans. According to multiple media reports, and videos circulated online students vandalised parts of the campus and set fire to some property during the unrest. The protest also spilled onto the nearby Jalandhar-Phagwara highway, disrupting traffic for a period of time.

Videos circulating on social media purportedly show students protesting on the LPU campus at night, amid heightened tensions following the allegations.

Police Say No Rape Complaint Has Been Received

Police officials have said that no complaint regarding the alleged rape has been received so far and that their preliminary investigation has not found evidence supporting the claim.

Kapurthala SSP Gaurav Toora said the students were protesting over allegations concerning a female student, but police had not received any complaint from the woman or her family.

“The students claim that there was a woman who was raped. We don't have a complaint about the girl,” SSP Toora said.

He added that the identity of the woman allegedly involved, as well as that of the purported accused, had not been established.

Police have also said that the viral claims appear to have fuelled the unrest despite there being no verified evidence at this stage linking the alleged rape to the incident that triggered the protests.

Police Clarify Reports About Student's Death

Amid the rumours, reports also circulated claiming that a female student had died by suicide.

Police confirmed that a woman had died by suicide around four to five days earlier in the vicinity of the university's agriculture department. However, officials said there was no complaint or evidence connecting that death with the rape allegations circulating among students.

The police clarification came as students continued to seek answers from the university administration over the claims being circulated online.

Highway Blocked, Situation Later Brought Under Control

As the protest intensified, students reportedly blocked the Jalandhar-Phagwara highway, leading to disruption on the busy route.

Police personnel reached the spot and cleared the highway, which was subsequently reopened to traffic. SSP Toora said the situation was brought under control and discussions were underway between the students and the university administration.

The university has also dismissed the circulating reports as false and described them as rumours. Official verification of the claims remains awaited.

An audio-video clip has also circulated online in which a girl appears to explain what allegedly happened at LPU. However, the contents of the clip have not been independently verified.

Ashok Mittal Is LPU Founder and Former AAP Rajya Sabha MP

Lovely Professional University is owned by Ashok Mittal, who has previously served as an Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Rajya Sabha MP.

Mittal later joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) along with former AAP leader Raghav Chadha. The political development came shortly after the Enforcement Directorate conducted searches linked to Mittal.

The political background has also been highlighted in social media posts discussing the LPU controversy, although it has no established connection to the student protests or the allegations currently under investigation.

For now, police maintain that no rape complaint has been filed and that the allegations circulating on social media have not been substantiated by their preliminary investigation.