LPU students protest over rape claim, block highway
Phagwara: Students of the Lovely Professional University in Punjab’s Phagwara allegedly went on a rampage on the campus early Sunday, damaging property and blocking a national highway over claims that a female student was raped by an outsider in the university premises.
Police said a rape case has been registered against an unknown person on a complaint by the students, who blocked a stretch of Delhi-Amritsar national highway, leading to a massive traffic jam.
A special investigation team has also been formed to investigate the matter, police said. In a statement, Lovely Professional University (LPU) said there was no truth in the rumours. Videos circulating on social media purportedly showed a large number of LPU students damaging window panes, earthen flower pots and even putting some objects on fire. Protesting students could be heard saying, “We want justice.”
In the purported videos, some protesters with their faces covered by handkerchieves were seen vandalising shops in the university mall and other properties, while a few could be seen taking some items from a grocery shop.
Purported videos showed a damaged ATM kiosk and some vehicles on the campus. Traffic was diverted from Phagwara highway stretch to Phagwara-Jandiala road for Jalandhar side and roads as the blockade continued into the Sunday afternoon. Long queues of vehicles were seen on the national highway with commuters being stranded on the road.
The protests started near the girls’ hostel of the university at around 1 am, with students alleging that a female student, who was staying at the university hostel, was raped by a plumber three days back.
They also claimed that the hostel warden was informed about it but nothing was done. Following reports of the rampage, a heavy police force from Kapurthala, Jalandhar Rural and Hoshiarpur was mobilised. Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Kapurthula, Gaurav Toora said police received information that students gathered at the LPU campus at 1.45 am and blocked a road. Deputy Inspector General of Police (Jalandhar Range) Naveen Singla, who reached the spot, said all SSPs of the range and police force have been mobilsed. He said students were claiming that the girl, who had been staying at the GH-3 hostel on the campus, subsequently returned to her house and that no action has been taken in the matter. Singla said an FIR has been registered based on the students’ statement.