New Delhi, September 28, 2026

Tensions at Lovely Professional University (LPU) in Punjab’s Phagwara spilled beyond the campus after a student protest over an alleged sexual assault developed into a wider confrontation with police. The situation intensified when protesters moved towards the Jalandhar-Phagwara section of NH-44, where a blockade and subsequent clashes prompted police to use lathis to disperse the crowd. The allegation that initially triggered the protest remains under investigation.

The unrest followed claims circulating among students that a female student had allegedly been sexually assaulted by an outsider in a girls’ hostel. Students gathered to demand an investigation into the allegation and raised concerns over security. Police registered an FIR against an unidentified person and constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT), which includes student representatives.

The agitation escalated after protesters reached the university’s main entrance and blocked NH-44, disrupting movement on the Jalandhar-Phagwara route. Police said personnel attempting to clear the highway faced stone-pelting and that police vehicles were targeted. Officers subsequently used lathis to disperse the protesters. The unrest also involved vandalism and damage to vehicles, with some vehicles reportedly set on fire.

LPU has denied that the alleged sexual assault occurred on its campus and said it is cooperating with the investigation. Police are examining evidence, including CCTV footage, as part of the probe. According to police, the preliminary inquiry had not substantiated the allegation at the location identified during the protest.

Following the unrest, the university suspended regular classes for 10 days from September 28 and postponed mid-term examinations until further notice. As investigators examine the allegation that sparked the demonstrations, attention also remains on the circumstances surrounding the highway blockade, clashes and police response. The findings of the investigation will be crucial in establishing a clearer account of the events that led to the unrest.