LPU suspends classes for 10 days after violent protests over alleged rape
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Punjab : Lovely Professional University (LPU) in Phagwara has suspended classes for 10 days from Monday and postponed mid-term examinations until further notice following student protests over an alleged rape on campus.
The protests turned violent on Sunday, with students damaging university property, setting some objects on fire and blocking the Jalandhar–Phagwara highway. Videos circulated online showed protesters chanting, “we want justice”.
The agitation began on Saturday after students alleged that an “outsider working as a plumber” had entered a female student’s hostel room and raped her three days earlier. The protesters alleged that the university administration had failed to act on the complaint.
Police have registered a first information report (FIR) against an unidentified person on rape charges based on statements recorded from students. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has also been formed to investigate the case.
Students continued their protest despite several rounds of discussions with police and university officials throughout the day and the registration of the FIR. They alleged that the police and university administration were attempting to cover up the incident and had refused to share details of the case with them.
In a notice announcing the suspension of classes, the university said students who wished to remain on campus during the 10-day period “are advised to remain inside their hostels/places of residence and avoid unnecessary movement or involvement in any unrest activities in the interest of their own safety”.
LPU Registrar Monica Gulati, meanwhile, claimed that the allegation of rape on campus “appears to be a deliberate and concerted attempt to malign the reputation of the university and tarnish its image”, according to The Indian Express.