Violent Protests Erupt at LPU Over Alleged Assault Claim, SIT Ordered

Tensions have significantly escalated at Lovely Professional University (LPU) in Phagwara, Punjab, following student protests over an alleged sexual assault claim involving a female student. The demonstration reportedly drew around 2,000 students and turned violent, leading to damage to university property, fires, and a blockade of the Jalandhar-Phagwara stretch of National Highway-44.

During the clashes, several police personnel sustained injuries, and multiple vehicles were damaged. Authorities have since registered an FIR against an unidentified individual and constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the allegation, which includes examining CCTV footage and other pertinent evidence.

The university, however, has denied the alleged sexual assault, labeling the claims circulating on social media as false and fabricated. Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has directed the state police leadership to investigate the situation thoroughly. In response to the unrest, LPU has suspended regular classes for a period of ten days and postponed mid-term examinations. The situation remains under close scrutiny as the investigation proceeds.

What to watch: The findings of the Special Investigation Team and the university's response to the allegations.

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This article is AI-generated and fact-gated. Original reporting: News18 India