Punjab University Students Protest and Block Highway Over Rape Rumor

Campus Vandalism and Highway Blockades

Protests began late at night and continued into the morning. According to NDTV, students initially gathered to chant slogans and demand justice. The situation escalated when window panes and flower pots were damaged, and parts of the university building were set on fire. Videos captured a large group blocking the Jalandhar-Phagwara national highway, which created a massive traffic jam.

https://x.com/ndtv/status/2104068715847561576

Approximately 2,000 students gathered near the girls’ hostel before spilling onto the highway. Police intervened around 2 am on Saturday to clear the road and restore order.

Conflicting Accounts of Rape and Suicide Allegations

Protesting students alleged that a female student residing in the G3 hostel was raped three days prior by a construction worker on campus, and that college authorities subsequently sent her home. A roommate allegedly informed others that the student had died by suicide. One student claimed in a video that outsiders entered the campus when gates opened and caused the ruckus, adding that authorities dismissed the events as rumors.

Police officials disputed these accounts. Kapurthala SSP Gaurav Toora stated that law enforcement received no official complaint regarding any rape from the victim or her family. While police confirmed that a woman died by suicide four to five days earlier near the university’s agriculture department, SSP Toora stated there was no evidence connecting that death to the rape allegations. DIG Jalandhar Range Naveen Singla confirmed that police initiated an FIR based on a student statement naming an unknown person, and announced plans for a forensic and CCTV investigation.

University Response and Next Steps

In an official statement, Lovely Professional University advised students to ignore false and misleading rumors circulated by mischievous sources. The institution assured students they were safe inside their residences and urged them to avoid disruptive activities.

DIG Singla stated that student representatives raised additional demands concerning the boys’ and girls’ hostels. Police arranged a meeting between student leaders and LPU management to address these grievances and evaluate property damage.