A major protest broke out at Lovely Professional University (LPU) in Phagwara, Punjab, early Sunday after reports of an alleged rape involving a female student spread across the campus. The allegations have not been independently established, while the university has denied the rumours. The protest became dramatic when students climbed onto military displays placed inside the university campus. Videos from the spot showed one student standing on an Indian Air Force MiG 23UM aircraft. Another video showed around 10 students sitting or standing on top of a military tank while raising slogans.
The unrest reportedly started around 1 am near the girls' hostel. Students alleged that a female student was raped on September 24 and claimed that an outsider may have been involved. Police later received the student statement and registered an FIR against an unknown person. Punjab Police has formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the matter. Officials said CCTV footage, forensic evidence and phone information will be examined during the investigation.
During the protest, some parts of the campus were damaged. Reports also said that shops, windows and other university property were vandalised. Students also blocked the Jalandhar Phagwara highway, affecting traffic in the area. LPU said the claims circulating on social media were false and asked students and parents to depend only on official information.
