Punjab saw two separate incidents of student unrest at private universities over the past three days, first at Chitkara University near Rajpura and then at Lovely Professional University (LPU) in Phagwara. Both incidents began after unverified claims concerning female students circulated among students and on social media. While the Chitkara protest remained centred around rumours of missing students and alleged deaths, the LPU protest was linked to an allegation of sexual assault on a female student.
The two incidents also escalated into clashes and property damage. However, authorities have not established that the underlying allegations were true, and there is currently no confirmed evidence showing that the two incidents were connected.
The first incident unfolded late on Friday, September 25, at Chitkara University near Rajpura in Patiala district.
Students gathered after messages and claims began circulating about two female students allegedly being missing or having died by suicide. There were also claims about screams being heard from a girls' hostel. The claims spread through student groups and social media, leading to a late-night protest on campus.
The university denied that any suicide or death had taken place at the girls' hostel and appealed to students to rely on official communication rather than unverified messages.
Police also said they had not found a clear basis for the claims circulating among students. Banur DSP Sukhdev Singh said there was no clear information about who the allegedly missing students were or even their names. Police said they would verify the claims and investigate the circumstances.
The protest later turned into a law-and-order situation, with reports of damage to police vehicles and campus property. Police subsequently said a daily diary report had been registered regarding the violence, although no FIR had been filed at that stage.
Several versions of what triggered the unrest circulated online, including claims involving a so-called "ghost" in a hostel. These claims were not established by authorities and should not be treated as facts.
By Saturday, the university and police were maintaining that the claims about deaths or missing students were unverified or false. The university said local police and the administration were working with its campus team.
The focus then shifted to Lovely Professional University in Phagwara, where a much larger protest developed.
The protest began around 1 am on Sunday, September 27, near Girls' Hostel-3. Students alleged that a female student had been sexually assaulted on the campus by an outsider. Police said the allegation circulating among students involved a plumber.
Students also claimed that the alleged victim had gone home because no action had been taken. These were claims made during the protest and were not independently established.
LPU administration rejected the allegations and described them as false and fabricated. At the same time, police registered a case against an unidentified person based on statements given by students and formed a Special Investigation Team to investigate the allegation.
As more students joined the protest, the situation expanded beyond the campus. Students blocked the Delhi-Amritsar highway, NH-44, causing major disruption on the Phagwara-Jalandhar stretch. The blockade continued for more than 15 hours before traffic was restored.
The university also became the site of vandalism and clashes. Reports and videos showed damage to property and objects being set on fire.
The situation escalated further on Sunday evening when police attempted to clear the highway blockade.
According to officials, police tried to persuade the protesters to remove the blockade. Bottles were allegedly thrown at police personnel.
The confrontation then intensified, with officials reporting stone-pelting and attacks on police vehicles. Several police personnel were injured. Vehicles were damaged and some were set on fire.
The cause and organisation of the violence also remain disputed. Some protesters alleged that masked outsiders carrying sticks, hockey sticks, bricks and stones entered the protest and were responsible for the violence and arson. LPU, meanwhile, described the unrest as a pre-planned conspiracy to defame the university.
By Monday, September 28, the situation at LPU had returned to normal, according to police.
More than 2,000 police personnel were deployed around the university, with security arrangements strengthened at the campus gates. Police also conducted a flag march as authorities worked to restore confidence among students and their families.
SP (Investigation) Harinder Gill said there was no fresh protest on campus and that students were leaving the university after regular classes were suspended.
Jalandhar Police Commissioner Satinder Singh also said reports of disturbances inside hostels were rumours and that all hostels had been checked.
LPU announced that regular classes would remain suspended for 10 days from September 28. Mid-term examinations were also postponed until further notice. Students were allowed to leave for their hometowns after consulting their parents or guardians.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann ordered strict action against those responsible for the violence and directed DGP Gaurav Yadav to visit the university and assess the situation.
The central question remains whether the alleged sexual assault actually occurred.
Police have registered a case and formed an SIT, but authorities have not yet confirmed that a student was raped on the LPU campus.
Police said a preliminary inquiry at the location identified by protesters did not substantiate the allegation at that stage. Three students staying in the room identified during the initial inquiry reportedly told investigators that nothing had happened there.
The investigation is continuing. Investigators are expected to examine CCTV footage, forensic material and phone data before reaching conclusions.
This means that neither the allegation of rape nor the university's denial can currently be treated as the final finding of the investigation.
Police have examined whether the two incidents could be linked because they occurred at two Punjab universities within roughly a day of each other and both involved rapidly spreading claims concerning female students and hostel safety.
However, no connection between the incidents has been established so far.
Punjab Police have said the circumstances behind both incidents are being examined. There is also no confirmed evidence at present showing that the same people or organisation were behind the two protests.
As of Monday, several things are clear: both universities witnessed major student protests; unverified claims circulated before the protests; the Chitkara incident involved damage to police vehicles and property; the LPU protest involved a prolonged NH-44 blockade, clashes, stone-pelting, property damage and fires; and police forces were deployed heavily at LPU.
But several key questions remain unanswered.
Police have not yet announced a final finding on the alleged sexual assault at LPU. The identity of any alleged accused has not been established. The exact number of people responsible for the violence, the final injury count and the precise number of vehicles damaged or burnt are also still being investigated.
Similarly, the claims that triggered the Chitkara protest were not substantiated by the university or police.
The incidents therefore remain two separate ongoing investigations rather than established cases with all facts settled. For now, authorities are continuing to verify the original allegations while separately investigating the violence and property damage that followed.
