LPU suspends classes after violent protest over disputed sexual assault allegation
Lovely Professional University (LPU) in Phagwara, Punjab, has suspended regular classes for 10 days from September 28, 2026, and postponed its mid-term examinations after protests over an alleged sexual assault escalated into violence. Property was damaged, objects and vehicles were reportedly set on fire, and protesters blocked National Highway 44 outside the campus.
The allegation that prompted the protest has not been established. Police are investigating it, while the university denies that a sexual assault took place on campus. Those positions must be kept distinct: a police investigation is not a finding that the alleged crime occurred, and the university’s denial does not conclude the investigation.
How the unrest unfolded
Students began gathering near a women’s hostel early on Sunday, September 27, after claims about an alleged assault circulated among students and online. Some protesters said an outsider had assaulted a female student and called for action from the university and police. Details shared during the unrest, including claims about the person involved and what happened in the hostel, remain unverified.
The demonstration spread toward the university entrance and onto the highway. The blockade disrupted traffic on the Jalandhar–Phagwara route for hours. As the confrontation intensified, campus property and shops were damaged, and fires were reported involving objects and vehicles. Police also reported damage to their vehicles and injuries to personnel during clashes. The available accounts do not establish who was responsible for every act of violence; the damage should not be attributed to all students who joined the protest.
Police deployed additional personnel around the campus as they worked to clear the road and contain the unrest. Traffic on the highway was restored overnight, according to police, although officers remained in the area on Monday as a precaution.
What investigators and the university have said
Police have registered a case concerning the sexual assault allegation against an unidentified person and formed a special investigation team to examine it. Investigators have said they will assess available evidence before reaching a conclusion. Preliminary inquiries had not resolved the competing accounts as of September 28.
LPU has rejected the allegation that a sexual assault occurred on its campus. The university says unverified claims have caused alarm and has said it will cooperate with the police investigation. Its account is a disputed position, not an independent determination of what happened.
The distinction matters for students and families trying to understand a rapidly changing situation. The protest, highway disruption and reported property damage are separate from the underlying allegation, which remains under investigation. Neither posts circulating online nor accounts repeated during a demonstration can, on their own, establish the identity of a victim, an accused person or the circumstances of an alleged crime.
Classes and exams
In a notice to students, LPU said regular classes would remain suspended for 10 days beginning Monday, September 28. It also postponed mid-term examinations until further notice and said it would communicate a revised timetable through its University Management System. The exam postponement is not limited to a newly announced date; students should wait for the revised schedule.
The university said students may travel to their hometowns during the suspension after consulting their parents or guardians. It advised those staying in Phagwara to remain in their hostels or other residences, limit unnecessary movement and avoid involvement in unrest-related activities.
For now, the confirmed academic change is the 10-day suspension of regular classes and an open-ended postponement of mid-term exams. The police inquiry must establish the facts behind the sexual assault allegation, while the violence and damage during the protests remain matters for the authorities to examine separately.
