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Campus defaced, vehicles on fire, classes suspended: Punjab's LPU returns to normalcy day after violent protests
The protests escalated on Sunday evening when some protesters allegedly pelted police personnel with stones and attacked their vehicles, injuring several cops.
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Lovely Professional University in Punjab's Phagwara returned to uneasy calm on Monday after a weekend of violent protests which left the varsity defaced. The campus and its surrounding area witnessed violence and arson as students staged a massive agitation over the alleged rape of a student by an outsider.
While the students blamed the outsiders for the vandalism on the LPU campus, police said they were analysing CCTV footage to identify the perpetrators. Punjab DGP Gaurav Yadav, who visited LPU on the directions of chief minister Bhagwant Mann, warned that those involved in vandalism would face strict action.
ALSO READ: Punjab Police secure LPU campus after violent protests over rape rumours
Deep Dive
The protests escalated on Sunday evening when some protesters allegedly pelted police personnel with stones and attacked their vehicles, injuring several cops. Some objects were also set on fire, according to officials and purported videos of the incident.
Here are the latest developments from the Lovely Professional University's Phagwara campus:
- LPU suspended classes for 10 days from Monday and postponed midterm examinations indefinitely. Many students left for their homes, while anxious parents arrived on campus to take their children back. The university has allowed students to return home after consulting their parents or guardians. Those staying on campus have been advised to remain inside their hostels or residences and avoid unnecessary movement or involvement in “unrest activities”.
- Addressing the issue in a video statement, LPU Pro-Chancellor Rashmi Mittal termed the violence on campus as "unfortunate". She questioned why the students did not approach the authorities despite the existence of 400 student organisations. "I never thought this would happen with so many channels in place. How is it that students didn’t bring it to us? They just believed the rumour that was spreading. I felt so hurt. Then outsiders joined in. There were shops which were looted. It was so painful. I feel children can’t do this," she said.
- Traffic on National Highway-44, which protesting students had blocked for more than 15 hours, was restored, police said. Heavy security remained deployed at the university located along the Jalandhar-Phagwara highway.
- DGP Yadav said police had exercised restraint and facilitated talks between students and the university administration to address their grievances. He said an FIR had been registered over the alleged rape claim and an SIT constituted to investigate it. The university has described reports of the alleged crime on campus as “rumours”.
- The Punjab State Women Commission has taken suo motu cognisance of the LPU protest, along with a separate incident at Chitkara University in Patiala based on an unverified claim involving the alleged suicide of two female students. It has sought detailed reports, FIRs and information on student safety measures.
- BJP leader and former Union minister Ravneet Singh Bittu alleged that the AAP government was behind the LPU unrest ahead of Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s September 30 rally in Jalandhar. He provided no evidence for the allegation.
The LPU violence came a day after protests at Chitkara University, where students allegedly set a police vehicle on fire following claims about two female students dying by suicide on the campus.
(With inputs from PTI)
