The Punjab and Haryana High Court is scheduled to hear the Lovely Professional University (LPU) violence case today, October 8, with the Punjab government expected to place its status report on the investigation before the court.
The court had earlier directed the state to clarify whether the alleged sexual-assault incident that triggered the unrest had actually taken place, what action had been taken against those responsible for the violence, and what steps were being taken over the circulation of the social-media claims.
However, developments since the court's previous hearing have significantly moved the investigation forward.
Police arrests rise beyond the earlier 11
The latest reporting indicates that 17 LPU students have been arrested in connection with the violence, vandalism and damage to police vehicles. Police are continuing raids in different states to trace other suspects identified through CCTV and digital evidence.
The investigation has also identified alleged involvement of both students and outsiders. Earlier, police had named around 20 accused and said more than 40 people had been identified for further investigation.
Two more accused were produced before a court on October 7 and sent to two days' police custody, while four others arrested by Sadar police were sent to judicial custody.
Viral Reddit post becomes a key focus
One of the most significant developments ahead of today's hearing is the police tracing of the Reddit account from which the sexual-assault allegation was first posted.
According to a report published on October 8, Punjab Police obtained information from Reddit's US headquarters and traced the account to a first-year female LPU student. Police have recorded her statement, in which she reportedly said that her post was based on hearsay. Investigators are examining her statement and the circumstances behind the post.
The development could become an important part of the status report because the High Court had specifically asked the state to establish what happened with the social-media claim that preceded the violence.
What triggered the LPU unrest?
Violence broke out at LPU in Phagwara after unverified social-media claims alleging that a female student had been sexually assaulted on campus. The claims spread rapidly, prompting students to gather and eventually leading to extensive vandalism and clashes.
The violence included damage to university property and police vehicles, while protesters also blocked NH-44 outside the university. A PIL filed by an LPU student alleged that the unrest involved vandalism, arson, looting and a prolonged highway blockade.
Importantly, the alleged sexual-assault claim itself has remained a central point of investigation. The High Court had earlier specifically asked the state to clarify whether the incident mentioned in the viral post had actually occurred.
High Court had sought answers on four key issues
During the September 30 hearing, a Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra and Justice Rohit Kapoor sought a comprehensive status report from the Punjab government.
The court wanted the state to place on record:
whether the alleged sexual-assault incident actually occurred;
what action was taken if it did occur;
what steps were taken if the claim was false;
and what action was taken against those responsible for the subsequent violence and vandalism.
The court also has before it a plea seeking a CBI investigation into the matter. No order transferring the investigation to the CBI had been passed at the earlier hearing.
Investigation now covers both violence and misinformation
The LPU case has therefore moved beyond the question of who damaged university property. Investigators are examining the chain of events beginning with the social-media post, its circulation among students and the subsequent escalation into violence.
With the police now reporting 17 student arrests and tracing the source of the original Reddit post, today's High Court hearing could provide a clearer picture of what the state has established so far — and whether the investigation is sufficient to address the questions raised before the court.
