Tension gripped the campus of Lovely Professional University situated in Phagwara, Punjab, in the early hours of Sunday as a fabricated and false report circulated widely across social media networks. Triggered by this unverified information, a large group of students gathered to stage a vociferous protest, leading to incidents of vandalism inside the university premises and temporarily disrupting the peaceful academic environment.
Responding swiftly to the escalating situation, the university administration released a strong statement dismissing the viral reports as entirely baseless and malicious. University Registrar Dr. Monica Gulati stated that certain disruptive elements were actively spreading fabricated rumors through digital platforms to create unnecessary panic among the student body and damage the institution's reputation.
Protests and National Highway Blockade
The unrest began after rumors regarding an alleged unfortunate incident involving a female student started making rounds online. Enraged by the unconfirmed news, students poured into the campus grounds and subsequently moved toward the Jalandhar-Phagwara national highway, blocking vehicular traffic for a brief period. Law enforcement agencies were alerted immediately as the situation threatened to spiral out of control.
Kapurthala Senior Superintendent of Police Gaurav Toora detailed the police intervention, noting that authorities received word about the gathering and the road blockade at approximately 1:45 AM. Police teams rushed to the spot and engaged directly with the protesting students. During the dialogue, students voiced several grievances regarding university management and internal administrative issues, which the police helped mediate.
Vandalism and Heavy Security Deployment
Footage surfaced online showing broken windowpanes, smashed flower pots, and minor instances of arson within the campus during the demonstrations. Police confirmed that an assessment of the damage inflicted on public and institutional property is currently underway, and necessary legal actions will follow. To maintain law and order, a heavy deployment of police personnel remains stationed across the campus.
Authorities have reiterated their appeal to students, parents, and the general public to refrain from believing or sharing unverified information originating from social media channels, urging everyone to rely exclusively on official announcements for accurate updates.
