Students at Lovely Professional University (LPU) in Phagwara, Punjab, began leaving the campus for their hometowns after violent protests led to vandalism, arson and heavy police deployment around the university.
The unrest followed reports on social media alleging that a female student had been sexually assaulted on campus. The university denied the allegation, describing the reports as rumours, while police began an investigation. An FIR was registered and a Special Investigation Team (SIT) was formed to examine the claims.
The protests escalated on September 27, with parts of the campus damaged, vehicles set on fire and traffic disrupted on National Highway-44. Police later restored traffic and increased security around the university.
Following the violence, LPU suspended classes for 10 days from September 28 and postponed mid-term examinations until further notice. Students staying on campus were advised to remain inside their hostels or residences and avoid involvement in further unrest.
On September 28, groups of students were seen leaving the campus using local transport to reach nearby bus and railway stations. Some students cited concerns about their safety after the weekend's violence.
Police continued to maintain a strong presence around the university as authorities investigated the events and worked to identify those responsible for the property damage.
