LPU violence case reaches High Court, student seeks CBI probe into vandalism, arson

LPU violence: A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been filed before the Punjab and Haryana High Court seeking a CBI investigation into the violence, vandalism and arson reported at Lovely Professional University (LPU) in Jalandhar/Phagwara.

The petition has been filed by an LPU student, who has sought directions for an independent probe into the incidents that took place on the university campus and surrounding areas.

The petitioner sought urgent hearing of the matter on Tuesday. 

The PIL comes after violent protests at LPU following unverified claims concerning the alleged sexual assault of a female student. The protests escalated into vandalism, arson and a blockade of NH-44. The police have registered an FIR and constituted a Special Investigation Team to investigate the allegations and the subsequent violence.

The Timeline | How the LPU protests escalated

Tensions at Lovely Professional University (LPU) began rising in the early hours of Sunday after allegations of sexual assault circulated among students. A group of students gathered near the hostel and called for a fair investigation, better security in the women’s hostels and accountability from officials responsible for campus safety.

As the number of protesters increased, the gathering moved towards the university’s main gate and later reached the Delhi-Amritsar National Highway (NH-44). The highway was blocked around 4 am, disrupting traffic between Jalandhar and Phagwara as well as movement towards other parts of Punjab.

Police initially persuaded the students to clear the highway, but the blockade resumed later.

The situation on the university campus also turned tense, with reports of damage to university property and objects being set on fire. Videos shared on social media showed broken windows and damaged flower pots, while other reports mentioned damage to furniture, motorcycles and other property.

Some protesters were also seen climbing onto a decommissioned MiG-23 aircraft and a military tank displayed on the campus.

Following the allegations, police registered an FIR against an unidentified person and formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT). Investigators are examining forensic evidence, CCTV footage and phone data. Student representatives have also been included in the investigation.

Clashes break out between protesters and police

Tensions escalated again on Sunday evening when police moved to clear the NH-44 blockade.

According to officials, some protesters allegedly threw bottles and stones at police personnel and attacked police vehicles. Police then used a lathi charge to disperse the crowd.

The confrontation later moved towards the university campus. Several police personnel were injured, while a number of police vehicles were damaged. Reports said three vehicles were set on fire.

As the unrest continued, a large police contingent entered the LPU campus late Sunday night. Senior officers, including ADGP MF Farooqui and Jalandhar Range DIG Naveen Singla, took part in efforts to restore order. Police also conducted a flag march inside the campus.

NH-44 reopened, students leave campus

The NH-44 blockade was cleared during the intervening night of Sunday and Monday, allowing traffic to resume on the key highway.

By Monday morning, the police said the situation on campus had returned to normal, although heavy security remained in place at the university gates and other sensitive locations.

With classes suspended for 10 days, large numbers of students began leaving the campus. Many were seen carrying their luggage towards railway stations, bus stops and other transport facilities.

LPU has around 40,000 students, and reports suggested that more than half had left by Monday morning. Parents from Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Jammu, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Rajasthan also arrived to take their children home.

Although the situation has calmed, the allegation that triggered the protests has not yet been established by the ongoing investigation.

Police are examining CCTV footage, forensic evidence and phone data to determine what happened. LPU has maintained that the alleged assault did not take place on its campus and has urged students and parents not to share unverified information.