Punjab’s Lovely Professional University (LPU) is witnessing one of its worst protests in recent history. The entire country, it seems, is gripped by a rage rarely seen before, and trust in the authorities is perhaps at an all-time low.
Across Delhi, protests have been taking place against the crisis of women’s safety. In the past few days alone, multiple rape, gang-rape, and sexual assault reports have come out, painting a deeply concerning picture of the city, to the point where Lady Shree Ram (LSR) College even halted physical classes, saying its all-female student body was afraid to step out of their houses.
The Jamui case further offered a disturbing glimpse into the regressive mindset of many people, from what they still consider ‘right’ behaviour for a woman to rampant victim blaming. Now, LPU is in the spotlight: over the weekend, massive protests broke out after claims of a sexual assault in an LPU hostel started spreading.
Things soon escalated, with the crowd venting its anger, frustration, and utter disbelief that the authorities could keep students safe or uphold the law.
It didn’t end there: the institute denied the allegations, the police were called, an FIR was registered, and the university was eventually shut down for the next 10 days.
What Started The Protests?
It all started in the early hours of Sunday, September 27, when large numbers of students poured out of hostels near Girls’ Hostel 3 on the LPU campus. The reason for this agitation was a claim circulating among students that a female student had been raped on campus.
The claim had begun circulating in student messaging groups a few days earlier, reportedly around September 24 and 25. As per the claim, a female student in Girls’ Hostel 3 (GH-3) had been sexually assaulted three days earlier by an outside worker (accounts differ on whether he was a construction worker or a plumber).
The claims spread further through social media posts across campus, and on Sunday night the students gathered to protest. Videos and posts went viral about the protest, showing some students damaging campus property by breaking window panes and flower pots, while some reports mentioned objects being set on fire.
The protesters eventually blocked National Highway 44 outside the university, disrupting traffic. According to the students, the protest was meant to question how the victim had simply returned home and why the university had taken no action.
They also claimed that the institute was trying to bury the case. Their main demands included a proper investigation, the arrest of the accused, better security, and that the university’s founder-chancellor and Rajya Sabha MP, Ashok Mittal, come to the protest site and reassure the students.
Punjab Police were notified of the protests at LPU around 1.45 am and reached the site promptly.
Police and students also clashed on Sunday night after protesters reportedly threw stones and bottles at officers, who responded with a lathi charge and tear gas to clear the highway. According to reports, some police vehicles were also torched, and several officers were injured.
Read More: 120 Accounts Booked For Sharing The Jamui Harassment Video, But Wasn’t That What Made The Police Act?
The Scripted Video
Soon after, LPU released a video on its official Instagram page with the caption, “The false narrative ends here. No speculation. No hearsay. Hear the truth directly from the students who were there. This video is published with the express consent of the students featured.”
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In the video, LPU Registrar Dr Monika Gulati introduced three female students as the actual residents of Room 504 in Girls’ Hostel 3, the specific room that had been named in rumours about the assault.
One student can then be heard saying, “So, we are the residents of room number 504. Nothing of that sort happened in our room; we have been living here for the past two months.”
A second student then said, “We have been extremely distressed today, and if we face further trouble, we will involve our parents. Please do not harass us.” The third student said, “And the police should also stop coming to our room repeatedly; otherwise, we will call our parents.”
Things did not end there, though. In a video posted later, the students claimed they had been instructed by the university to make the statements and that the video had been edited.
One student reportedly said, “[LPU administration] told us to record all this and say it for them. We were just instructed to say that students and others are bothering us… Our consent was not taken… and now we are facing unnecessary abuse.”
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Vice-Chancellor Jaspal Singh Sandhu also said the university was not aware of any rape incident but would cooperate with the authorities in the investigation.
FIR And Shutdown
Police have now registered an FIR against an unidentified person and formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to look into the matter. The police have said they will examine CCTV footage, forensic evidence, phone records, and other relevant data, along with students’ statements.
On September 28, 2026, the LPU administration announced that all regular classes would be suspended for 10 days and that mid-term examinations were postponed indefinitely.
Authorities also reportedly suspended internet services in and around the Phagwara campus to prevent the spread of provocative material.
An advisory on the university portal also allowed students to return to their hometowns for the time being.
The university stated, “Regular classes will remain suspended for a period of 10 days with effect from 28th Sept. 2026 (Monday). Mid-Term Examinations are postponed until further notice. The revised examination schedule will be communicated separately via UMS.”
It added, “Students may, in consultation with their parents/guardians, travel to their hometowns during this 10-day period, if they wish to do so. Students who stay back are advised to stay inside their hostels/places of residence and avoid unnecessary movement or involvement in any unrest activities in the interest of their own safety.”
Image Credits: Google Images
Sources: Deccan Herald, The Hindu, The Indian Express
Find the blogger: @chirali_08
This post is tagged under: Lovely Professional University, Lovely Professional University Jalandhar, lpu, lpu students protest, lpu protest, lpu students, lpu sexual assault, punjab university
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