Full Breakdown
High Court Seeks Punjab Government Report on LPU Violence After Unverified Rape Rumor
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LPU Unrest Triggers High Court Review
On September 30, 2026, the Punjab and Haryana High Court, Division Bench led by Chief Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra and Justice Rohit Kapoor, ordered the Punjab government to submit a status report on the investigation into the violence at Lovely Professional University (LPU). The order followed a public-interest petition filed by BTech student Ravi Raj seeking a CBI probe.
Lead-up and Alleged Rumor
The petition said an unverified post on September 26 via Reddit and WhatsApp claimed a female student had been raped on campus and later died by suicide. The post prompted roughly 2,000 students to gather outside the girls’ hostel (GH-3) and block National Highway 44.
Scale of Violence and Economic Impact
Petitioner Ravi Raj described “outsiders” – men and women in their 30s, some with swords, rods, guns and sickles – breaking gates, destroying CCTV cameras, computers, UPS systems, LED screens, turnstile gates and security offices, setting structures on fire and looting shops, laptops, mobiles, bank branches and ATMs. Damage to the campus “Uni Mall” was estimated at more than Rs 10 crore, with individual shop owners reporting losses of Rs 25 lakh each. Classes were suspended for 10 days from September 28, and mid-term exams were postponed.
Official Responses from Judiciary and Authorities
The High Court asked the Punjab government to clarify whether any rape actually occurred and to detail actions taken to verify the claim. It also directed the police to report steps taken to remove the social-media post if false.
Additional Solicitor General Satyapal Jain (Union of India) emphasized identifying those spreading “misleading information.” Additional Advocate General Chanchal K Singla (state) said FIRs had been filed and investigators were contacting Reddit to trace the post’s source. An FIR (No. 162) was registered on September 27 under Section 64 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, alleging rape of an unnamed girl at GH-3, though officials later described the allegations as “rumours.”
Campus Perspectives and On-the-Ground Reports
Students said the protest turned violent on Sunday, with some shouting “we want justice.” A university video showed three girls from room 504 of GH-3 denying any assault; a later video suggested they had been instructed on what to say. The university suspended classes for ten days and formed a three-member disciplinary committee, while police reviewed CCTV footage of 30–40 identified students.
Conflicting Accounts and Unresolved Questions
The university’s registrar and senior police officials label the claim a rumor, yet the police filed an FIR alleging rape without verified evidence. The petition asserts that “the majority” of participants were outsiders, but police have not confirmed crowd composition.
Criticism & Opposition
Registrar Monica Gulati called the social-media claim an orchestrated effort to damage the university’s reputation, implying the unrest was fueled by misinformation.
Upcoming Judicial Proceedings
The High Court has scheduled the next hearing for October 8, when the Punjab government must submit the requested status report detailing investigation findings, actions against alleged perpetrators, and steps regarding the social-media post.
