A day after intense protests, and violent clashes between students and police at Lovely Professional University’s Phagwara campus over the alleged rape of a female student, Opposition parties in Punjab have lashed out at the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government over the State’s “deteriorating” law and order situation and demanded a thorough probe into the matter.
On Sunday, protesters blocked NH-44 near Phagwara, vandalised university property, blocked traffic and clashed with the police. The students have alleged that a female hosteller had been raped by a plumber last week and claimed that no action had been taken in the matter so far. LPU, a private institute, has denied the allegations. The alleged victim has yet to be identified. The police registered an FIR containing rape charges against unknown persons and a special investigation team has been constituted to probe the matter.
Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav visited the university on Monday and asserted that those involved in the vandalism would face action, adding that the police had exercised restraint.
‘Outsiders involved’
Rajya Sabha MP Ashok Mittal, who joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) after quitting AAP in April this year, is the founder-chancellor of LPU, quit the AAP.
Former BJP Punjab president Sunil Jakhar said “The sudden escalation of a peaceful protest by students at LPU following the involvement of armed outsiders is a matter that warrants investigation. It should be examined whether, under the guise of the youths’ emotions, this was an attempt to settle a political score or to inflame tensions in Punjab by agents of separatists based in a neighbouring country or operating from other foreign countries.”
He demanded a National Investigation Agency (NIA) investigation into the incident.
Senior Shiromani Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia alleged that AAP allegedly used LPU students as pawns for revenge.
“After Ashok Mittal joined the BJP, outsiders were brought from Delhi to provoke the agitation. Video evidence shows people carrying walkie-talkies, bats and weapons, while the police remained mute spectators!” he said, demanding a central government probe in the matter.
Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring also demanded an independent probe into the campus violence in the State. He said that there appeared to be a pattern in the violence in the two university campuses, referring to LPU and Chitkara University.
The incident at LPU comes just a few days after students at Rajpura-based Chitkara University in Patiala district, held a protest on the campus, alleging that two female students had died by suicide on the campus and their bodies were disposed of. After the initial probe, however, the police said the allegations were unfounded.
“The spontaneous violence in two private university campuses in Punjab within a span of a few days was an ominous sign and was yet another example of the complete collapse of law and order in the state,” Mr. Warring said.
‘Campus safe’
Even as several students left the campus after the university announced to suspend classes for 10 days and postponed its midterm examinations after a students, the authorities on Monday said the campus was safe. The authorities held a meeting with the police, civil administration and students’ representatives, reiterating that outsiders were to be blamed for the unrest a day earlier.
LPU Vice Chancellor Jaspal Singh said in a statement that the students’ representatives were unanimous that the unrest was primarily the result of outsiders entering the campus unlawfully with the intent of disturbing peace.
The matter is being looked into, and appropriate action will be taken in accordance with law, the statement said.
Meanwhile, on Sunday, the university, in a bid to pacify the protesters, released a video of three female students allegedly dismissing claims of a student’s rape on the campus. The three students on Monday said the institution had not taken their consent before posting the video and that they were facing abuse and harassment.
“Our video has been trimmed and posted on Instagram. We had no idea about this, and no consent was taken from us. Now, unnecessarily, we are being abused,” one of the students said in a brief video clip circulating on social media
Published – September 29, 2026 01:13 am IST
