One student climbed onto an Indian Air Force MiG-23UM aircraft while a group of around 10 students was seen on top of a military tank installed on the campus — videos from Lovely Professional University (LPU) in Punjab’s Jalandhar show massive protests.
The incident unfolded early Sunday after hundreds of protesters gathered at the private university in Phagwara following reports that a student had allegedly been raped on campus by an outsider. The allegations have not been independently established. Videos from the campus showed large groups of students protesting and chanting slogans. Other footage showed damage to window panes and flower pots, while some objects and parts of a university building were seen on fire. Some shops on the campus were also allegedly vandalised.
The unrest began near the university’s girls’ hostel around 1 am, police said. Students alleged that a student staying in the university hostel had been raped on September 24.
Police have said an investigation is underway to determine what happened, while university authorities have denied the rumours and said there was no truth in the claims being circulated. They claimed the alleged assault involved a plumber or construction worker and said the hostel warden had been informed but that no action had followed. Deputy Inspector General of Police for the Jalandhar Range, Naveen Singla, later said police had received the statement of the student and registered a case.
