LPU Protest Explained: FIR, Suicide Claim, Chitkara Link–10 Questions
LPU protest explained: what police say on the alleged hostel rape FIR, the suicide claim, LPU’s denial and the Chitkara unrest, in Q&A.
North Desk Correspondent
Chandigarh, September 28
LPU Protest Explained: Two private universities in Punjab were hit by violent student unrest within 48 hours. At Lovely Professional University, an alleged hostel rape, a separate suicide and questions about hostel security are all in play. Here is what is on record so far.
1. What happened at LPU?
LPU Protest Explained: Around 2,000 students gathered near the girls’ hostel in the early hours of Sunday, September 27, and the protest turned violent. Students broke window panes, damaged property and set campus property on fire, and blocked the national highway. The situation escalated again in the evening. Bottles were allegedly thrown at police around 7.30 pm, followed by a lathi-charge and tear gas around 9 pm. Several police personnel were injured and police vehicles were attacked. A police jeep was set on fire, and as per reports, three SUVs were torched and explosions were heard inside the campus. A large police force led by ADGP M F Farooqui later entered the campus.
2. What is the alleged rape case?
LPU Protest Explained: DIG Jalandhar Range Naveen Singla said the students’ main grievance was the alleged rape of a female student three days earlier, on September 24. He said the student stayed in the G3 hostel and the alleged rape took place three days ago, with no action taken since, according to the students. Police say she has since returned home and her statement has been received.
The FIR is against an unknown person because the complaint did not identify the accused. It was registered at Satnampura police station under Section 64 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Reports differ on the accused. Some say the claim involved a campus worker, while others describe an outsider. Police have not publicly named or described anyone.
3. What does LPU say?
LPU Protest Explained: Registrar Monica Gulati called the circulating reports false, baseless and fabricated, blamed “anti-social elements”, and urged people to rely on official channels. Dean Sorabh Lakhanpal said the university took the students’ concerns seriously, let them view CCTV footage and visit the room they had identified. After its own look at the matter, the university formed the impression that the situation was rumour-driven.
4. Why did police first say no crime, then register an FIR?
LPU Protest Explained: The officials spoke at different points in the day. The police first said police had found no evidence and received no complaint. It was stated that on arriving at the campus, police learnt of rumours and that students had gathered because of them. Singla then said the students had told police about the alleged rape, that the victim’s statement had been received, and that a case had been registered.
5. What is the “suicide” claim? Is it linked to the rape allegation?
LPU Protest Explained: Two separate things are involved. The viral claim was that the female student had also died by suicide. Police say the alleged victim has returned home, and LPU denies any such death. Separately, students raised the case of a Telangana student who allegedly died by suicide on campus around two weeks earlier. Police had already begun inquest proceedings under Section 174 of the BNSS and, on the students’ demand, opened a probe into it. Police describe that probe as separate from the rape case. The Tribune reported that the student was a B.Tech Agriculture student from Telangana and that the circumstances were unclear.
6. What are the students demanding?
- A copy of the FIR
- That Founder-Chancellor Ashok Mittal come to the protest site, that access to the University Management System not be blocked, and that they not be victimised
- An all-women hostel staff
- Restrictions on outside workers such as painters and plumbers near girls’ hostels at night
- Action on hostel security and management
Several rounds of talks between students and management were inconclusive on Sunday, though Vice-Chancellor Jaspal Singh Sandhu assured them their genuine grievances would be resolved.
7. What has police done?
LPU Protest Explained: An SIT has been formed. It includes Phagwara SP Major Singh, DSP Palwinder Singh, a woman police inspector and student representatives. The probe will include CCTV, forensic and phone analysis. Separately, Special DGP (Law and Order) Parveen Kumar Sinha said police are examining the reasons for the unrest at both campuses and whether they are linked.
8. What has LPU done about classes?
It suspended regular classes for 10 days from September 28 and postponed mid-term exams until further notice.
9. What happened at Chitkara University?
Students near Rajpura protested on Friday night and allegedly damaged a police vehicle over unverified claims of two female students’ suicide. Related claims included two students missing, screams from a girls’ hostel and a “ghost” story. Registrar Col Rakesh Sharma (Retd) said no such incident had taken place. Banur DSP Sukhdev Singh said students did not know the name of any girl said to be missing. Police said they would verify the claims.
10. Are the two protests connected?
Special DGP Sinha called the violence at the two campuses unrelated, said no student had been identified as leading the mob, and said police were also trying to establish whether a link exists. That question is open.
LPU Protest Explained: Has LPU seen unrest before?
- In 2009, students rampaged over fee hikes, smashed windowpanes across blocks and jammed the national highway.
- In 2022, a first-year B.Design student died by suicide in a hostel and an FIR was registered against a professor named in his note. Students then alleged it was the second suicide in ten days, which the administration disputed.
- In an earlier episode, students went on a rampage after police arrested a hosteller in an extortion case.
What is still unanswered?
- Whether the FIR names any suspect or has produced any arrest
- What the CCTV and the room visit showed, and why students and police reached different conclusions
- Why the police stated position shifted between morning and afternoon
- Whether the Telangana student’s death has any link to the protests
- How many police and students were injured
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