Protests Erupt at Lovely Professional University Over Allegations of Assault

PHAGWARA: Mass student protests broke out at the Lovely Professional University (LPU) campus in Phagwara, near Jalandhar, as hundreds of resident students took to the streets over allegations involving a sexual assault of a female student.

The unrest escalated into campus-wide demonstrations, property damage, and the temporary blockade of the busy Jalandhar–Phagwara National Highway.

The unrest began near the G-3 girls’ hostel before spreading across the residential sectors. By 2:00 AM, thousands of students had gathered near the main entrance gates, raising slogans demanding immediate justice, police intervention, and stronger security measures.

Protesting students staged a sit-in along the Jalandhar–Phagwara National Highway around 4:00 AM, halting long-distance traffic along the Delhi–Amritsar corridor for several hours before police forces cleared the stretch.

Groups of enraged protesters damaged campus signage, broke glass windowpanes, and set small fires near common areas before internal security personnel could contain the crowd.

Demonstrators cited broader administrative lapses and demanded strict security overhauls, including the exclusive deployment of female security staff in female hostels and heightened monitoring across common residential zones.

Heavy security personnel led by Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Kapurthala Gaurav Toora and Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Jalandhar Range Naveen Singla arrived at the campus to negotiate with student representatives and restore order.