Students From LPU Vandalise Campus After Unverified Gang-Rape, Suicide Rumours; Police Deny Claims

Tension escalated at Lovely Professional University (LPU) in Phagwara, Punjab, after unverified claims circulating on social media alleged that a female student had been gang-raped or had died by suicide on campus.

In response, there was a huge student protest on late Saturday, during which protestors burned a section of one of the buildings on the campus and blocked a highway. However, police have not received a complaint about the alleged sexual assault, and no evidence has been found to back up the claims, police said.

According to Kapurthala Senior Superintendent of Police Gaurav Toora, a woman had died by suicide four to five days earlier in the vicinity of the university's agriculture department.

However, police said there was no complaint establishing any connection between that death and the allegations of sexual assault that later circulated among students.

The SSP said students had received conflicting information, with some claiming that a female student had died by suicide and others alleging that she had been raped. Police said neither the identity of the alleged victim nor any suspected perpetrator had been established.

The allegation was made in social media posts including the involvement of a univesity worker, which were not substantiated, authorities said.

The rumours reportedly drew around 2,000 students near the university's girls' hostel.

The protest intensified and escalated when students barricaded one of the nearby highway, causing traffic jams. The situation then spiraled within the university where the protesters reportedly broke windows, threw bricks and flowerpots and damaged university property.

Parts of university buildings were also set on fire during the unrest.

Police teams broke into the highway, and the road has been cleared. The situation was put under control as talks were still ongoing between the student representatives and the university management, authorities said.

The university has strongly rejected the claims circulating on social media.

LPU Registrar Dr Monica Gulati said there was no truth in the allegations and described the information being circulated as false, baseless and fabricated.

The university claimed that some people were misinforming with the aim of confusing students and harming the reputation of the university.

The administration called on students, parents and the public to not spread unverified information, and to trust information through official university channels.

With the situation returning to control, police and university officials are continuing discussions with students in an effort to resolve the unrest.

As of September 27, police said they had not received a complaint or found substantiating evidence for the alleged gang-rape claim. The conflicting rumours about the woman's death and the alleged assault remain the focus of efforts to establish what actually happened.

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Susmita Modak

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Always love to raise the unraised matter. In a world of worries, I am always ready to come over my comfort zone and taking the step ahead of spreading awareness.

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