JALANDHAR — Vehicular movement along the key Jalandhar-Delhi National Highway has been fully restored following tense overnight demonstrations by students of Lovely Professional University (LPU). Punjab Police intervened in the early hours of Sunday, engaging with demonstrating student groups to clear blockades and bring the situation under control.
The unrest erupted past midnight when hundreds of students gathered on campus following circulating rumours on social media regarding an alleged sexual assault of a female student. The agitation rapidly intensified near the campus hostels around 1:45 AM, leading to incidents of campus vandalism where furniture and window panes were damaged and several objects were set on fire. Protesters subsequently marched to the university gates and obstructed the arterial national highway, bringing long-distance traffic to a temporary halt.
Senior police officials, led by Kapurthula Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Gaurav Toora, rushed to the campus with heavy reinforcements to de-escalate tensions. Officials confirmed that dialogue was opened with student representatives regarding their safety concerns and administration-related grievances, which helped clear the highway and restore routine vehicular traffic.
Authorities stated that there has been no official complaint or verification of any sexual assault incident, clarifying that the flare-up was driven primarily by unverified social media claims. Police confirmed that the university grounds and adjoining stretches of the national corridor remain peaceful and under close watch, with damage assessments currently underway.
