The Lovely Professional University (LPU) in Phagwara, Punjab has suspended classes for a period of 10 days starting Monday and postponed mid-term examinations until further notice due to student protests alleging an alleged rape incident on campus. The university administration and police are investigating the matter.
The Lovely Professional University (LPU) in Phagwara, Punjab has suspended classes for a period of 10 days starting Monday and postponed mid-term examinations until further notice following student protests alleging an alleged rape incident on campus. The protests escalated into violence on Sunday with students damaging university property, setting objects on fire, and blocking the Jalandhar-Phagwara highway. According to reports by Hindustan Times and The Indian Express, the agitation began on Saturday when students claimed that an 'outsider working as a plumber' had allegedly raped a female student in her hostel room three days prior.
On Sunday evening, the university shared a video of three students who are purportedly staying in room number 504 of girls’ hostel 3, where the alleged assault was reported to have taken place. The three students could be heard saying that no such incident had taken place in their room. They appealed to the police and fellow students not to repeatedly disturb them in the name of an investigation. They said that they would inform their parents if they were troubled further.
However, soon after, a separate video emerged on social media in which the same three students said they had been instructed on what to say and that their statements had been used without their knowledge or consent.
The institute’s Registrar Monica Gulati, on the other hand, claimed that the allegation of rape on campus ‘appears to be a deliberate and concerted attempt to malign the reputation of the university and tarnish its image’, reported The Indian Express. 'Certain anti-social elements are spreading completely false, baseless and fabricated rumours through social media and other channels, thereby creating unnecessary confusion among students and attempting to disturb the peaceful academic environment of the university,' said Gulati.
Meanwhile, the police have registered a first information report against an unknown person on charges of rape based on statements recorded from students. A Special Investigation Team has been formed to probe the matter. Jalandhar Range Deputy Inspector General of Police Naveen Singla said that forensic data, security camera footage and phone records will be examined. ‘We have asked students’ representatives to be part of our investigation,’ he said.
University Vice Chancellor Jaspal Singh Sandhu said that the institute was cooperating with the investigation. 'So far, no such incident has come to my notice,' Sandhu was quoted as saying by The Indian Express.
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