LPU Protest Turns Violent After Unverified Claims, Highway Traffic Disrupted
A large student protest at Lovely Professional University in Phagwara turned violent late Saturday and continued into the early hours of Sunday, September 27, 2026, after unverified claims concerning a female student spread through social media and campus groups.
The unrest resulted in damage to university property, fires inside the campus and a temporary blockade on the Jalandhar-Phagwara stretch of the national highway. Police later persuaded students to leave the road and said traffic had returned to normal.
Conflicting claims trigger late-night gathering
The protest began after different versions of an alleged incident circulated among students. Some messages claimed that a female student had been sexually assaulted, while others alleged that a student had subsequently died by suicide. Additional versions circulating online referred to a university worker, but none of these assertions had been officially established.
Initial accounts placed the number of students who gathered near a girls’ hostel at around 2,000. Many participants demanded information from the university administration and called for greater transparency about student safety on campus.
Kapurthala Police said no complaint relating to the alleged sexual assault or suicide had been received and that officers had not found evidence confirming either claim. Senior Superintendent of Police Gaurav Toora said the conflicting allegations appeared to have contributed to confusion and anger among students.
The absence of a complaint does not by itself resolve questions raised by students, but police stressed that unverified messages should not be treated as proof of a crime. No alleged victim was officially identified, and authorities had not announced a confirmed case connected to the protest.
Vandalism and fires reported on campus
What began as a gathering seeking answers escalated as sections of the crowd moved through the campus. University property, including windows, furniture and parts of buildings, was damaged. Bricks, flower pots and other objects were reportedly thrown, while fires were started at some locations.
Police described the incident as involving rioting and extensive vandalism. The full value of the damage was not immediately available, and authorities were expected to review campus security footage and other material to identify those responsible.
A group of protesters also moved outside the university and occupied the nearby highway, interrupting traffic on the important route connecting Phagwara and Jalandhar. Senior police officers reached the area, opened discussions with students and eventually cleared the road without the blockade becoming prolonged.
Police later confirmed that vehicles were moving normally again. Officers remained in the area as a precaution while discussions continued between students, the university administration and local authorities.
Police investigation focuses on claims and violence
Investigators now face two separate tasks: establishing how the original claims began and determining responsibility for the subsequent violence. Any credible complaint concerning student safety will require a formal, sensitive investigation, while allegations of arson, theft or property destruction must also be examined independently.
Authorities have urged students with direct knowledge of any alleged incident to approach the police rather than circulate personal information or unsupported accounts online. Protecting the privacy of anyone who may come forward is particularly important in cases involving possible sexual violence or mental-health concerns.
The university had not issued a detailed public explanation of the alleged incident at the time of the initial police response. A clear statement addressing campus safety procedures, grievance mechanisms and the events leading to the protest could help reduce uncertainty among students and their families.
Verification remains crucial
The episode highlights how quickly conflicting information can produce real-world consequences in a large residential university. Students have a legitimate interest in receiving timely answers about safety, and any genuine allegation must be handled seriously. At the same time, identifying an alleged victim, assigning blame or declaring an unverified claim to be fact can cause further harm and undermine a proper investigation.
By Sunday morning, the immediate confrontation had eased and the highway blockade had ended. Attention was shifting to the police inquiry, the assessment of campus damage and whether any student or witness would submit information capable of confirming the allegations that sparked the protest.
