How a rape rumour sent an Indian university into turmoil and emptied hostels

What the report says

A wave of unrest has disrupted Lovely Professional University (LPU), one of India’s largest private universities, after an unverified rape allegation spread through student WhatsApp groups and triggered protests in Punjab. BBC World News reported that police are trying to determine whether a female student was assaulted on campus, while the university has firmly denied the claim.

According to the report, the protest began on 27 September and escalated over the weekend into violence that spilled onto National Highway 44. Images and video showed damaged vehicles, fires and clashes with police. Officers were injured, parts of the campus were vandalised and hostels emptied quickly as students left or were told they could go home. LPU suspended classes for 10 days and postponed exams.

Police said no student has come forward with a complaint, the alleged victim and suspect have not been identified, and CCTV checks so far have not confirmed an attack. Even so, they registered a rape case against an unknown person after students demanded formal action and formed a seven-member special investigation team. The report also notes that investigators are separately examining who took part in the violence and whether outsiders joined the crowds.

The episode highlights how quickly unverified claims can spread on closed social media networks and destabilize a large residential campus. BBC said the university’s effort to dismiss the allegation did not calm concerns, and students described a night of fear as police maintained a heavy presence around the campus.