Archive · 28 Sep 2026
Unverified Hostel Rumours Fuel Violent Protests at Two Punjab Universities
Two universities in Punjab had angry student protests within about 27 hours of each other.
At Chitkara University, students heard stories about a ghost, missing girls and a past suicide.
The rumours spread through hostels and social media.
Students protested, and some property and police vehicles were damaged.
At Lovely Professional University, a message claimed that a girl had been raped in a hostel and later died.
Around 2,000 students gathered, and the protest became violent.
Roads were blocked, buildings and vehicles were damaged, and some people were injured.
Police and both universities said they had not found proof supporting the main claims.
Officials are investigating how the rumours spread and whether the first protest influenced the second one.
At Chitkara University, rumours about a ghost, missing students and a past suicide triggered a late-night protest on September 25.
Chitkara students allegedly damaged university property, vandalised two police vehicles and manhandled an inspector; checks found no evidence of a missing student or suicide.
At Lovely Professional University, an unverified social media message alleged that a female student was raped by an outsider and later died by suicide.
About 2,000 LPU students protested, damaged campus property, set vehicles or buildings alight and blocked the Delhi-Amritsar National Highway-44.
Police and university officials said they had found no evidence substantiating the LPU allegation, while authorities investigated whether rumours and social-media messages linked the two incidents.
- Who
- Students at Chitkara University and Lovely Professional University, university administrations, Punjab Police and political leaders responding to the unrest.
- What
- Unverified claims involving female students and girls’ hostels triggered large protests, clashes, arson and property damage at two Punjab universities.
- When
- The Chitkara protest began around 10:30 p.m. on September 25; the LPU protest began around 2 a.m. on September 27, roughly 27 hours later.
- Where
- Chitkara University in Rajpura and Lovely Professional University in Phagwara, Punjab; LPU protesters also blocked the Jalandhar-Phagwara stretch of Delhi-Amritsar National Highway-44.
- Why
- Students demanded answers about alarming claims, while police investigated how rumours and social-media messages spread despite finding no substantiating evidence at the time.
Students’ Concerns
Authorities’ Position
Whether the allegations were adequately addressed
Students’ Concerns
Students said their grievances were not being heard and questioned how an outsider could access a girls’ hostel; some also alleged that information was being suppressed.
Authorities’ Position
Police and university officials said the claims were unverified, no complaint had been received in the LPU case, and checks found no evidence of a rape, suicide or missing student.
Videos involving LPU Room 504 residents
Students’ Concerns
In a later video, one student said the residents had been instructed what to say and that an earlier video had been trimmed and posted without their consent.
Authorities’ Position
In the earlier video, three students identifying themselves as Room 504 residents said nothing had happened in their room and asked police and other students not to bother them.
Police handling of the LPU protest
Students’ Concerns
Harsimrat Kaur Badal alleged that police hit, dragged, pushed and abused protesters, particularly girls, rejecting the description of the action as merely mild lathicharge.
Authorities’ Position
Police focused on clearing the highway and restoring order after stone-pelting and escalating violence; the report says the police action was described as mild by authorities.
- Time and distance
- The protests occurred about 27 hours apart and roughly 140 kilometres apart, according to The Indian Express.
- Chitkara claims
- Rumours alleged that girls were missing and linked a ghost story to a past suicide; police and the university found no evidence confirming those claims.
- Chitkara damage
- Students allegedly smashed windows, damaged university property, vandalised two police vehicles and manhandled a police inspector.
- LPU message
- A five-line social-media message alleged that a female student was raped by a male worker or outsider in Girls’ Hostel 3 and that authorities suppressed the matter.
- LPU protest
- Around 2,000 students gathered; shops and property were vandalised, vehicles or buildings were set on fire, and the Delhi-Amritsar National Highway-44 was blocked.
- Official findings
- Police said no complaint or evidence had substantiated the LPU rape or suicide allegation, while both universities rejected the central rumours.
- Academic response
- Both universities announced a break after the unrest; LPU also postponed mid-term examinations and suspended regular classes for 10 days.
