LPU Violence Investigation: Burnt Case Files, Stolen ATMs, and 2,400-Feed Video Audit Untangling LPU Riot
LPU Violence Investigation: Part 2 of our investigative series: Inside the aftermath of the Lovely Professional University (LPU) campus violence, torched active judicial records, Uni-Mall looting, and the forensic video audit.
Arvind Chhabra
Phagwara / Chandigarh, November 4
On the morning of September 27, 2026, when student negotiators stepped back inside Lovely Professional University (LPU) after the initial highway blockades, administrative and police officials hoped dialogue had averted an escalation. Traffic along National Highway 44 had resumed, and an FIR into the hostel sexual assault allegation had been officially registered to ensure a transparent, statutory inquiry.
By sunset, that fragile calm broke down.
LPU Rape Case Truth: THE GHOST IN HOSTEL GH-3 — EXCLUSIVE
What began as a sit-in based on an unverified digital rumor escalated between 7:30 PM on September 27 and the early morning hours of September 28 into widespread campus unrest. Crowds damaged commercial areas, vandalized bank ATMs, and clashed with police cordons using stones and glass bottles, culminating in the arson of three official police vehicles.
While the sexual assault claim in Girls Hostel 3 was ultimately found by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) to be entirely unsubstantiated, the case files document the extensive operational aftermath: a multi-pronged probe involving 2,400 video feeds, three separate non-bailable FIRs, and the collateral destruction of active court records.
LPU Violence — The Ambush on the Highway: 3 Torched Police Vehicles
LPU Violence Investigation: The sharpest escalation documented in court records unfolded along the National Highway 44 corridor facing the university campus.
According to FIR No. 106 in Phagwara, administrative and police officers were attempting to reason with demonstrators to clear the arterial highway when segments of the gathering grew agitated. As police personnel fell back to prevent a stampede, they faced intense stone-pelting, leaving multiple officers injured.
During the retreat, three official police vehicles were surrounded and set on fire:
- DSP Phillaur’s official Bolero (PB-65-BC-3037): Torched with sub-divisional administrative files, official logbooks, and wireless gear inside.
- PS Kotwali Kapurthala’s Scorpio (PB-65-BG-5519): Completely burned down.
- DSP Adampur’s Scorpio (PB-36-G-0031): Reduced to ashes.
Collateral Damage: Destruction of Active Judicial Case Records
Detailed within the official inventory of the burned Adampur Scorpio is a significant institutional consequence: the arson destroyed ongoing case files, official evidence, and case properties.
The documents officially listed as destroyed in the blaze include:
- The original case diary and physical file of an FIR in Police Station Bhogpur.
- The inquiry record concerning a CNG Plant investigation (PS Bhogpur).
- A registered Will/Bond linked to an FIR in Police Station Patara
- The official daily diary and mobile equipment of the supervisory sub-divisional officer.
The department subsequently requisitioned mechanical inspections and initiated steps to reconstruct the destroyed physical court records.
Vandalism at Uni-Mall: The Second Front
Simultaneously, a second wave of property damage occurred within the residential interior of the university campus.
Inside the university perimeter sits the Uni-Mall—a central commercial facility serving the campus’s resident population, housing retail shops, electronics stores, and bank automated teller machines (ATMs).
According to the FIR registered at Police Station Satnampura, groups broke through commercial security shutters. Locks were broken, multiple ATMs were damaged, and retail outlets were vandalized, with merchandise, cash, and electronic goods looted.
Investigators called in affected shop owners to verify inventory ledgers and document the specific items taken. Within this FIR, authorities invoked provisions for robbery under Section 309(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), property damage, and Section 66-F of the Information Technology Act.
The Forensic Dragnet: Separating Students from Agitators
With over 28,000 students residing inside the campus and large crowds present during the commotion, the SIT faced a clear task: how to isolate active arsonists and looters while ensuring uninvolved bystanders were not swept up in the accusations?
To build an objective case based on verifiable technical evidence, the Kapurthala police deployed a comprehensive forensic infrastructure:
- 2,000 CCTV Angles: Teams secured footage from campus security cameras, corridor cameras, boom barriers, and highway feeds.
- 400 Social Media & Mobile Videos: Technical cells compiled open-source clips, mobile uploads, and streams shared during the incident.
- Forensic Video Analytics: The SIT used facial recognition technology (FRT) and video analytics to cross-reference individuals captured on video against campus identity records and administrative databases.
According to the case files, these nominations are being corroborated through technical analysis, Call Detail Record (CDR) logs, and university verification to ensure due process.
Current Legal Status: Nominations and Due Process
Through this methodical technical review, investigators have divided the cases across three primary proceedings:
- Uni-Mall Vandalism & Looting: 89 individuals nominated through technical analysis and commercial footage, with 9 initial arrests.
- Highway Blockade: 18 individuals nominated for leading the road obstruction on National Highway 44.
- Highway Arson & Mob Attacks: 19 individuals nominated for the assault on public servants and destruction of official vehicles, with 6 arrested.
Court documents specifically note the presence of “unknown non-student mischievous elements” who entered the university campus and mixed with the student crowds. Establishing who coordinated the escalation—and ensuring clear distinctions between active instigators and student bystanders—remains central to the SIT’s investigation.
(Concluded. This is Part 2 of North Desk’s two-part investigative series on the LPU campus unrest).
LPU Rape Case Truth: THE GHOST IN HOSTEL GH-3 — EXCLUSIVE
Follow North Desk on WhatsApp for the latest from Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vb7ccdxJENy2H87DBG3E
