LPU witnesses protest, vandalism after student rape allegation surfaces on social media; Probe underway

As per a protesting student, a female student was raped by a construction worker inside the campus, after which college authorities sent her home. Her roommate later told other students that she had died by suicide.

Updated : Sep 27, 2026, 10:09 AM IST

Lovely Professional University (LPU) students in Punjab vandalised the campus and set parts of the building ablaze after protests over unverified claims that a female student was allegedly raped and died by suicide turned violent. The agitation started late last night and continued till this morning.

Videos showed a large number of students first raising slogans and demanding justice. The protest soon turned violent as some students broke window panes and damaged flower pots on the campus. Some objects, including parts of the university building, were also set on fire.

A group of students also blocked the Jalandhar-Phagwara national highway, causing a massive traffic jam.

In a video, the student said the protests were peaceful at first. But when the university gates opened, some other people — who were not part of the college — entered and created a ruckus. "They vandalised the campus. But despite this, the authorities sent a message that everything was a rumour."

Police too termed the alleged rape incident a "rumour".

According to police, a girl had died by suicide four to five days ago near the agriculture department on campus, but there was no complaint linking that death to the rape allegations now being circulated.

“The students claim that there was a woman who was raped. We don't have a complaint about the girl,” SSP Toora said. He said the identity of the woman and the purported perpetrator had not been established.

“Some students claimed a girl student died by suicide, while some claimed that the student was raped. This has led to unrest among students against the LPU administration. So far, we have found no substantiating evidence to corroborate the incident, and no complaint has been received by us,” the SSP said.

Some social media posts also accused a worker of being involved in the alleged incident. Police have not confirmed the claim.

The protest, which began near the girls' hostel, turned into vandalism, with students damaging university property and laying siege to the highway, SSP Toora said. The highway has now been reopened and traffic restored, he said.

LPU strongly denied the allegations, saying “anti-social elements” were spreading false information via social media and other channels to mislead students and vitiate the campus atmosphere.

“The university categorically clarifies that there is no truth in the rumours presently being circulated,” LPU Registrar Dr Monica Gulati said in a statement.

Gulati said the spread of such claims seemed to be a “deliberate and concerted attempt” to malign its reputation and urged students, parents and the public not to believe or forward the rumours.

The university asked students and others to rely only on information issued through its official channels.