Phagwara (Punjab):
In a major crackdown following the violent clashes and vandalism at Lovely Professional University (LPU), Punjab Police have arrested 9 individuals, while identifying and naming 20 others in FIRs. DIG Naveen Singla addressed a press briefing confirming that the arrested individuals include seven university students and two external individuals.
Juvenile Tracked Down in Himachal Pradesh
One of the most viral images of the unrest showed a youth perched atop the Indian Air Force MiG-23UM fighter aircraft installed outside the university gates with fire in the backdrop. Tracing CCTV footage and matching it with university databases, police identified the individual as a juvenile B.Tech Electrical and Electronics Engineering student from Mandi, Himachal Pradesh. He was arrested at his residence, and authorities recovered a MacBook and an iPhone from his possession.
Delivery Boys and Social Media Influencer Apprehended
Investigations revealed that anti-social elements exploited the chaos for theft and loot. Two local youths working as delivery agents, Gagandeep and Jasmeet, were arrested for attempting loot at campus shops. Furthermore, James Dahiya, a student and social media influencer running a campus eatery, was held for allegedly inciting students and participating in property damage. Another student, Sahil from Jammu's Doda district, was also taken into custody.
Background to the Unrest
The unrest erupted on the night of September 26 following online rumors alleging the sexual assault of a female resident by an external worker. Over the following hours, mobs ransacked campus facilities, vandalized Uni Mall, torched vehicles, and blocked National Highway 44 for nearly 18 hours. The student at the center of the rumors later released a video statement confirming she was completely safe and debunking the rumors.
The university suspended classes for 10 days, while the Punjab and Haryana High Court has taken cognizance of the matter, seeking an exhaustive status report from law enforcement agencies.
