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5 arrested, 20 named in FIRs over violence on LPU campus
Among those arrested are three LPU students, including a minor who climbed atop decommissioned MiG-23UM aircraft on campus, and two outsiders
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Four days after violent protests at Lovely Professional University (LPU) in Phagwara, the Kapurthala police on Thursday arrested five persons in connection with incidents of arson, vandalism and clashes with police personnel.
The police had initially registered three first information reports (FIRs) against unidentified persons following the violence on Sunday. During the investigation, 20 people, both LPU students and outsiders, have now been named as accused, including social media influencer and LPU student Mohammad Farhat, police said.
Among those arrested are James Dahiya, an LPU student from Sonepat, and Gagandeep Singh and Abhi, both residents of Phagwara and described by the police as outsiders who allegedly entered the university campus and created a ruckus. Another LPU student, identified as Sahil, was arrested from Jammu’s Doda, while a minor student, who climbed atop a decommissioned MiG-23UM aircraft installed on the campus, was also nabbed. His picture and videos of sitting and lying atop the aircraft went viral on social media.
According to Gagandeep’s family, he is working as a delivery boy with a pizza chain for the past over one month.
3 suspects sent to police remand
Three of the arrested accused were produced before a local court in Phagwara and were sent to police remand for three days.
The violence broke out on August 26 after unverified reports circulated alleging that an outsider had raped a female student at the university.
Following the reports, a masked mob allegedly vandalised university property, set fire to campus buildings and damaged police vehicles. Protesters also allegedly pelted police personnel with stones and glass bottles before moving onto the Amritsar-Delhi National Highway (NH-44).
The protesters blocked the highway for nearly 12 hours, with traffic movement restored after midnight.
Police said they are scanning videos and reels recorded during the violence to identify those allegedly involved in the incidents.
Videos circulated on social media purportedly show accused James Dahiya participating in the protests outside the university and interacting with civil and police officials.
Three FIRs registered
Three FIRs were registered on September 28 on complaints submitted by police personnel who were on duty during the incidents. The cases invoke provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including Section 109, relating to attempt to murder; Section 132, concerning assault or criminal force against a public servant; Section 221, relating to obstruction of a public servant; Section 309, concerning robbery; and Sections 324 and 326, relating to mischief and damage to property.
Two FIRs were registered at the Sadar police station in Phagwara, while the third was registered at the Satnampura police station in Kapurthala district. The police have also invoked provisions of the National Highways Act and the Prevention of Damage to Public and Private Property Act.
Separately, Kapurthala police had registered a rape case under Section 64 of the BNS against unidentified suspects following the initial allegations. Police have said that the identity of the alleged victim has not yet been established.
Videos, social media reels handed over to SIT
To investigate the violence and identify those responsible, the authorities constituted an eight-member special investigation team (SIT) headed by Phagwara superintendent of police Major Singh. The team includes three officers of SP rank.
Kapurthala senior superintendent of police Gaurav Toora said the five arrests were made on the basis of technical and digital evidence collected during the investigation.
“We have gathered some important leads as multiple police teams have been working round the clock for identification of all the accused. The operational details of the case could not be shared,” SSP Toora said.
He said a detailed press conference would be held on Friday.
Meanwhile, police have collected videos and social media reels from the day of the violence and handed them over to investigating teams for the identification of the accused.
Police teams in J&K to arrest social media influencer
Among those named by the police is social media influencer Mohammad Farhat, an LPU student who operates a verified social media account under the name “farhatdev”.
Farhat has more than 21,000 followers on Instagram and was also seen during the protests interacting and negotiating with police officials.
According to police, one of the videos being examined shows Farhat entering the university’s DSW building without covering his face. Seconds later, a group of masked protesters, some allegedly carrying weapons, is purportedly seen entering the multi-storey building.
Police said CCTV cameras and window panes inside the building were subsequently damaged.
Another video being examined by investigators purportedly shows Farhat damaging a statue and other university property. Investigators are examining the footage to establish the sequence of events and determine the individual roles of those present.
A senior police official said Punjab Police teams had been deployed in Jammu and Kashmir to arrest Farhat. According to the official, Farhat left the university campus in the early hours of Monday and travelled to his home in Kashmir.
Farhat has denied being involved in the violent protest.
In another video that surfaced later, Farhat explained his presence inside the DSW building and said he had gone there to appeal to students not to damage trophies.
“I was present at DSW building but only to appeal to the students not to break any trophies. I told them that they could break anything but trophies. I am not part of the violent protest,” he said.
Farhat further claimed that he became agitated only after a security guard allegedly hit a female student and some items were damaged.
