Spots 
A day after agitated protesters, mainly students, went on a rampage at Lovely Professional University, a private institution in Punjab’s Phagwara in Kapurthala district over an allegation that a female student had been raped on campus, the situation was normal on Monday (September 28, 2026), even as Punjab Director General of police Gaurav Yadav is expected to visit the campus to take stock of the situation.
The police said the situation has been brought under control now and the National Highway 44 is through for vehicular traffic. The University has announced the suspension of classes for ten days and postponed its mid-term examinations.
“Regular classes will remain suspended for a period of 10 days with effect from 28th September, 2026 (Monday). Mid-Term Examinations are postponed until further notice,” said an official statement.
Jalandhar Police Commissioner Satinder Singh told media persons that the situation was peaceful and the traffic movement on the national highway has been resumed.
Allegations that a student was raped on the campus of Lovely Professional University in Punjab sparked an agitation that led to protesters, mainly students, blocking National Highway-44 near Phagwara on Sunday (September 27, 2026), disrupting traffic and clashing with police, hours after they went on a rampage, vandalising university property.
The police registered a first information report (FIR) containing rape charges against unknown persons and a special investigation team has been constituted to probe the matter on the basis of students’ allegations that a female student residing in the university’s GH-3 hostel was raped by a plumber three days ago. Students claimed that no action had been taken in the matter so far, and said the woman has since returned home, according to Deputy Inspector General of Police (Jalandhar Range) Naveen Singla. LPU has denied the allegations.
Despite the FIR and assurances from LPU Vice Chancellor Jaspal Singh Sandhu, protesters held their ground through Sunday, demanding that the university’s founder-chancellor and Rajya Sabha MP, Ashok Mittal, personally come to the protest site to give them his assurance of action in the case. In April, Mr. Mittal was one of seven Rajya Sabha MPs who quit the State’s ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) to join the BJP.
A clash broke out between the police and students on Sunday evening, when protesters allegedly threw some bottles and stones at the police. Police responded with a lathi charge. Some police vehicles were then set on fire. Senior Superintendent of Police (Jalandhar) Harvinder Singh Virk told journalists that a few police personnel have sustained injuries and police vehicles have been damaged. Later, the police entered the campus and a flag march was taken out to restore normalcy.
Earlier, videos on social media platforms showed protesters, some of them with their faces covered by handkerchiefs, vandalising property inside the campus, damaging window panes and flower pots, and setting some objects on fire.
In a statement, LPU said the allegation of rape on campus was untrue. LPU registrar Monica Gulati said that rumours circulating on social media were false and misleading, and were circulated by mischievous sources. The university also released a video statement featuring three female students from room no. 504 of the GH-3 hostel, in which they claimed that no such incident had taken place, and said they had been staying there for the past two months.
A day after agitated protesters, mainly students, went on a rampage at Lovely Professional University, a private institution in Punjab’s Phagwara in Kapurthala district over an allegation that a…