The university has also postponed its mid-term examinations until further notice. Lovely Professional University (LPU) in Punjab’s Phagwara has suspended regular classes for 10 days from Monday, September 28, following violent protests on campus over allegations that a female student was raped by an outsider.
A revised examination schedule will be shared with students through the University Management System (UMS), LPU said in a statement.
They also alleged that the hostel warden had been informed about the incident, but no action was taken. The blockade caused major disruption to traffic throughout the day. The situation worsened in the evening when police moved to clear the highway. The protesters later moved towards the university campus and allegedly pelted stones at police vehicles. Several police personnel were also injured. A heavy police contingent from Kapurthala, Jalandhar Rural and Hoshiarpur was deployed. A team led by ADGP M F Farooqui later entered the campus. Hundreds of students protested there late Friday and early Saturday after unverified social media reports claimed that two female students were missing. The protests later escalated into clashes with police, damage to university property and vandalism of two police vehicles.
The decision followed a day of protests, clashes with police and a blockade of National Highway-44 by students. The protests began near Girls’ Hostel-3 at around 1 am on Sunday after students alleged that a female student had been raped by a plumber three days earlier. The allegations led to a large protest, with students blocking NH-44 outside the university from around 8 am. 3, had returned home after they believed no action had been taken.
Officials said protesters threw water bottles at police personnel, prompting a mild lathi charge. Police said two vehicles were set on fire and four to five others were damaged. Students told police that the alleged victim, who was staying in Hostel No, according to the DIG.
