The investigation into the violence at Lovely Professional University (LPU) in Phagwara has so far found no confirmation of the alleged rape that triggered student protests, arson and the blockade of National Highway-44 in September. The Punjab government informed the Punjab and Haryana High Court that the investigation was underway and that the person who first posted about the alleged incident on social media had been identified. However, the person reportedly told investigators that they had heard the claim from others.
The developments came during the hearing of a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Ravi Raj, an LPU BTech student, seeking an independent investigation, preferably by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), into the violence that erupted on the university campus and nearby areas.
The High Court has also raised questions about the circulation of unverified information on social media, asking how an incident that has not been established by the investigation could lead to widespread unrest, damage to property and disruption of normal life.
According to the information presented before the High Court and details shared by the police, the investigation has focused on the alleged incident, the circulation of the claim on social media and the people involved in the subsequent violence.
The government told the court that the alleged rape had not been confirmed so far. The person who posted about the claim on social media had been identified, but reportedly said they had received the information from other people.
The available information does not establish who originally created the claim or whether the person who posted it knew that it was unverified. These aspects remain relevant to the ongoing investigation.
The police have named 89 youths in connection with cases registered over the violence. More than 80 of those named are reportedly LPU students. The police have also reported 17 arrests so far, including 15 university students and two people described as outsiders.
Investigators are examining the roles of those identified, and further arrests may follow depending on the evidence collected.
The government submitted a status report to the High Court in a sealed cover. The detailed contents of the report have not been made public in the information available so far.
The incident dates back to September 26, when claims circulated on social media that a female student had been raped on the LPU campus and sent home. A related claim about the alleged suicide of a female student was also mentioned in the PIL.
The rumour reportedly appeared first on Reddit before spreading further. Hundreds of students gathered outside the girls' hostel to protest over the alleged incident.
The protest later escalated, with students blocking the Amritsar-Delhi National Highway-44. The episode was followed by incidents of violence, arson, vandalism and looting.
The unrest disrupted traffic and led to the university suspending classes for several days. The police had to respond to the situation as protests escalated.
The investigation is now examining the people named in the cases registered over the violence, while the original allegation that triggered the protests remains unconfirmed.
In a separate development, four LPU students were produced before Judicial Magistrate First Class Priyanka Sondhi in Phagwara.
Yogya Agarwal, a resident of Jaipur, Rajasthan, and Kushal, a resident of Siriasar Kalan in Rajasthan's Jhunjhunu district, were produced before the court. The police obtained one-day remand of both accused.
Two other students, Ishush Mahajan of Bilaspur in Himachal Pradesh and Anuj of Kurukshetra in Haryana, were also produced before the court. Both were sent to 14 days of judicial custody at Kapurthala Central Jail.
The police have identified accused students from several states, including Bihar, Maharashtra, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh. The police list also includes a juvenile from Mandi.
The two people identified as outsiders are Jasmeet Kumar of Soami Param Nagar in Phagwara and Gagandeep, also from Phagwara.
Being named or arrested in a case does not, by itself, establish guilt. The investigation and legal proceedings will determine the role of each accused.
During the hearing, the Punjab and Haryana High Court questioned how unverified information about an incident that had not been established could trigger such widespread violence.
Chief Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra, sitting with Justice Rohit Kapoor, observed that the matter required serious consideration, particularly because of the scale of the unrest and its consequences for students, the university and public property.
The bench asked the Punjab government to come prepared with details about the origin of the information, the social media platform involved and the people responsible for circulating it.
The court also raised the possibility of a link between the LPU episode and similar rumours reported at Chitkara University in Rajpura shortly before the Phagwara incident. The state counsel said that no connection had been found between the two cases and that different people had been arrested in them.
The bench directed the state to examine the issue further and provide relevant details at the next hearing.
The court also stressed the need to balance freedom of expression with accountability when unverified information causes serious consequences. It observed that an incident involving thousands of students, damage to property and disruption of university functioning could not simply be brushed aside.
The matter has been listed for further hearing on October 12. The court has called for further details from the state as the investigation continues.
