LPU RAPE ALLEGATION FOUND UNSUBSTANTIATED; PUNJAB POLICE FILE CLOSURE REPORT AFTER CAMPUS VIOLENCE
October 31, 2026
PHAGWARA, OCTOBER 31: Punjab Police have filed a closure report in the case involving allegations of rape at Lovely Professional University (LPU), stating that an extensive investigation found no evidence to substantiate the claim that had triggered student protests and widespread violence on the campus in September.
Deputy Inspector General of Police, Jalandhar Range, Naveen Singla confirmed that the report was submitted on Thursday. The investigation was conducted by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted after students demanded police action over allegations that a female student had been sexually assaulted by an unidentified male worker inside Girls' Hostel 3.
According to an affidavit submitted before the Punjab and Haryana High Court, the SIT examined statements from approximately 50 individuals, CCTV recordings, documentary material and digital devices. Investigators reportedly found no evidence establishing that the alleged assault had occurred or identifying a purported survivor or accused.
The police investigation traced the spread of the allegation to social media posts, including a Reddit post published on September 24. Investigators stated that the student who uploaded the post had relied on information circulating among other students rather than personally witnessing the alleged incident. Subsequent messages and discussions helped the unverified claim spread across the campus, eventually contributing to student gatherings and protests.
The allegations had prompted a major campus confrontation in late September. Protests escalated into vandalism, arson and damage to university property and police vehicles. Students also blocked National Highway 44, while clashes with police resulted in injuries.
The closure report relates specifically to the FIR registered over the alleged rape. It does not conclude the separate investigations into campus violence, vandalism, attacks on police personnel and the highway blockade. Police have registered additional cases concerning these incidents and have made arrests in connection with them.
The development also forms part of proceedings before the Punjab and Haryana High Court, where a student had sought an independent investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation into the campus violence and the original allegations.
The rape-related case will formally reach closure only if the competent court accepts the police cancellation report. The separate criminal proceedings concerning violence and destruction of property remain distinct and are not automatically affected by the report.
