The protests over an unverified social media claim about the alleged rape and suicide of a student at Lovely Professional University in Punjab’s Phagwara turned into a day of vandalism and a blockade of a national highway. By Monday, the university campus was heavily guarded, classes had been suspended for 10 days and students were leaving with suitcases and bags as anxious parents arrived to take them home.
Security tightens at the Lovely Professional University (LPU) complex following the students’ protest that turned violent over the alleged rape of a female student and inaction by the authorities in Phagwara, Kapurthala, on Monday. LPU has repeatedly described the allegations as false, baseless and fabricated. Photo Credit: ANI Smoke billows from a fire during a protest by students at the Lovely Professional University (LPU) campus, in Phagwara, Punjab, early Sunday Photo Credit: PTI The identity of those involved in the violence quickly became another source of dispute. LPU has rejected the allegation that a female student was raped on campus.
The university then released a video featuring three female students from room 504 of the hostel.
Yet students say they believed the allegation was genuine after messages circulated online and, according to one student, after information was allegedly received from the girls’ hostel. Students interviewed after the unrest said they could not establish whether the people involved were fellow students or outsiders.One student said many of those involved had covered their faces. Registrar Monica Gulati said on Sunday that anti-social elements were spreading “false, baseless and fabricated” allegations.
Visuals from the university show property was damaged. Window panes were smashed. Some objects were set on fire.
Protesters also blocked National Highway-44, the major road linking Jalandhar and Phagwara, outside the university. The blockade lasted for more than 15 hours before traffic was restored on Monday.
