Stories
LPU Students Loot University Mall Amid Violent Protests Over Alleged Sexual Assault
- •Students at Lovely Professional University (LPU) in Punjab’s Phagwara looted the Uni Mall during violent protests.
- •The unrest was sparked by unverified reports of a female student being sexually assaulted and dying by suicide.
- •Videos show students taking food, gadgets, and other items, with some heard saying, ‘Free mein shopping done’ and ‘Bhai, PS 5 le aaye hain’.
- •Parts of the campus were vandalized, and sections of a building were set on fire during the protests on September 27.
- •An FIR has been registered, and a Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed to investigate the alleged rape, with police also clashing with protestors.
Key Questions Answered
The unrest at Lovely Professional University (LPU) was triggered by unverified social media reports claiming that a female student had been sexually assaulted and subsequently died by suicide. This led protesting students to vandalize parts of the campus, block NH-44, and storm the university's Uni Mall to loot food, shoes, and electronic gadgets.
In response to the violent protests and unrest, Lovely Professional University suspended regular classes for 10 days starting September 28, 2026, and postponed mid-term examinations until further notice. The administration advised students to either return home with their parents or stay safely inside their hostels.
Police registered an FIR based on complaints linked to the alleged assault and formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the matter using CCTV footage, forensic samples, and call records. Meanwhile, security forces deployed over 2,000 personnel to control the situation, reopened the Delhi-Amritsar highway after a 17-hour blockade, and detained several suspects.
