A major protest, including arson and highway blockades, broke out at Lovely Professional University in Punjab over unverified social media claims of a student's rape and suicide. While police are investigating, the allegations remain unconfirmed, and the university has denied the rumors, urging students to remain calm. The incident led to traffic disruption and campus vandalism.

A major protest, including arson and highway blockades, broke out at Lovely Professional University in Punjab over unverified social media claims of a student's rape and suicide. While police are investigating, the allegations remain unconfirmed, and the university has denied the rumors, urging students to remain calm. The incident led to traffic disruption and campus vandalism.

A major protest, including arson and highway blockades, broke out at Lovely Professional University in Punjab over unverified social media claims of a student's rape and suicide. While police are investigating, the allegations remain unconfirmed, and the university has denied the rumors, urging students to remain calm. The incident led to traffic disruption and campus vandalism.

A major protest broke out at Lovely Professional University in Punjab’s Phagwara in the early hours of Sunday. The students set parts of the building on fire in protest over unverified claims that a female student was allegedly raped and died by suicide. The unverified claim was spread through social media and went viral.

The unrest began at around 2 am. One vehicle was reportedly set on fire. The students also blocked the Chandigarh-Amritsar National Highway, disrupting traffic in the area.

Kapurthala Superintendent of Police Gaurav Toora reached the spot with police personnel to control the situation.

The Ludhiana-Jalandhar route was also blocked, which caused major traffic congestion.

Police said that the allegations of rape have not been confirmed so far. An investigation is underway to establish the facts.

According to one of the protesting students, a female student was raped by a construction worker on the campus and that college authorities sent her home. Her roommate informed other students that the girl died by suicide.

The students said that the protests were initially peaceful; however, when the university’s gates opened, some other people who were not part of the college entered and created the ruckus and vandalised the campus.‘

“But despite this, the authorities sent a message that everything was a rumour," one student said.

Authorities are also looking into the circumstances surrounding the rumours.

Toora told the media that the police received information about the LPU campus matter at 1:45 am.

The Lovely University stated that it advised the students to ignore the rumours and assured them that they are safe and secure on the campus. "The rumours circulating on social media are false and misleading and circulated by mischievous sources. You are advised not to participate in any unrest, to remain safely inside your hostel/room/residence, and to avoid involvement in any provocative or disruptive activities. Kindly cooperate in maintaining a calm and orderly campus environment," it said.

"When we reached here, we came to know that there were rumours. Because of the rumours, students gathered here...We spoke to students who had some issues with the LPU administration. We heard them and are trying to get them resolved. The situation is completely under control,” the SSP said.

A day earlier, students of Chitkara University in Patiala also held a protest over unverified claims about two female students' suicides on the campus.

The university administration, however, denied the claims and asked students to ignore rumours.

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