A student protest at Lovely Professional University in Punjab has grown into a police investigation after an unverified rape claim spread among students and online. Protesters blocked the Jalandhar-Phagwara highway, property was damaged and vehicles were set on fire. Police have now registered an FIR against an unknown person and formed an SIT to examine the allegation and establish what happened.
Police personnel were also reported injured. Police then registered a rape case based on a student’s statement. An SIT has also been formed to investigate the allegation. Students blocked the Jalandhar-Phagwara National Highway as the protest grew. Property was damaged and objects were set on fire. Talks involving police, student representatives and the university management were also held. Students were given information about the FIR and the SIT investigation. The police investigation will now examine the allegation behind the protest. Contemporary reports say the FIR is against an unknown person and investigators will examine available evidence as part of the SIT probe.
Kapurthala SSP Gaurav Toora initially said police had no information about such a crime. Jalandhar Range DIG Naveen Singla later said students had told police that a female student was allegedly raped in a hostel a few days earlier and had returned home. The team includes Phagwara SP Major Singh, DSP Palwinder Singh, a woman police inspector and student representatives, according to The Tribune. Later reports said protesters clashed with police and vehicles were damaged.
Student Welfare Wing Dean Saurabh Lakhanpal said the university was ready to cooperate with an investigation. He said student representatives could be involved in the process and that CCTV footage could be shown to them, according to the account provided.
